The Secret Liv of the Vatin’s Gay Cardals, Monks, and Other Clergy Members | Vany Fair

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• THE 5 BEST ROME GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS ROME
• ROME GAY NIGHTCLUBS | AN LGBTQIA+ GUI TO ROME NIGHTLIFE
• THE BEST PROVCE OF ROME GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS PROVCE OF ROME
• GAY ROME ROME CY GUI
• IT'S THE GAY BAR ROME ON 'GAY STREET' - COMG OUT
• HANGARSEE ALL THGS TO DO{"@TYPE":"LOLBS","NAME":"HANGAR","URL":"\","ADDRS":{"@TYPE":"POSTALADDRS","STREETADDRS":"VIA SELCI, 69","ADDRSLOLY":"ROME","ADDRSCOUNTRY":"ITALY"},"AGGREGATERATG":{"@TYPE":"AGGREGATERATG","RATGVALUE":"3.5","REVIEWCOUNT":22},"IMAGE":"HTTPS:\U002F\\U002FMEDIA\U002FPHOTO-O\U002F04\U002F84\U002F9D\U002F26\","@NTEXT":"HTTP:\U002F\"}SEE ALL THGS TO DOHANGAR3.522 REVIEWSGAY BARSREAD MORETHIS LOTN WAS REPORTED PERMANENTLY CLOSEDVIS WEBSECALLWRE A REVIEWABOUTROME'S OLST GAY CLUB IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR: GREAT MIC AND A LIVELY ATMOSPHERE.READ MORESUGGT EDS TO IMPROVE WHAT WE SHOW.IMPROVE THIS LISTGFULL VIEWALL PHOTOS (2)TOP WAYS TO EXPERIENCE NEARBY ATTRACTNSLIKELY TO SELL OUT*COLOSSM ARENA TOUR SMALL GROUP12REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $84.00 PER ADULTROME'S ULTIMATE PARTY AKA THE SPANISH STEPS PUB CRAWL67REMEND92% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.SPRG BREAKOM $44.80 PER ADULTE-TICKET & AUDS: COLOSSM , ROMAN FOM, PALATE & ROME CY20MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALSOM $54.88 PER ADULTROOFTOP BAR OPERA SHOW: THE GREAT BETY OF ROME31REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.SPRG BREAKOM $188.16 PER ADULTTICKETS COLOSSM AND ROMAN FOM WH MULTIMEDIA VIO82MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALSOM $43.68 PER ADULTLIKELY TO SELL OUT*SMALL-GROUP TOUR OF ROMAN FOM, PALATE HILL & CIRC MAXIM18REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.ARCHAEOLOGY TOURSOM $66.08 PER ADULT (PRICE VARI BY GROUP SIZE)3 DAYS PRIVATE ROME TOUR12REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $1,792.05 PER ADULT (PRICE VARI BY GROUP SIZE)COLOSSM SKIP THE LE GROUP TOUR WH PALATE AND FOM 30REMEND96% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $106.40 PER ADULTTRASTEVERE TOUR88REMEND94% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $16.80 PER ADULTGHOST & LEGENDS ROME TOUR4GHOST TOURSOM $32.48 PER ADULTROME NIGHT SEGWAY TOUR36REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $77.28 PER ADULTPRIVATE TRANSFER OM ROME TO POSANO WH STOP A POMPEII9TRANSPORTATN SERVICOM $436.81 PER ADULT (PRICE VARI BY GROUP SIZE)EXPRS VATIN MMS AND SISTE CHAPEL TOUR3HISTORIL TOURSOM $61.59 PER ADULTCASTEL GANDOLFO KAYAK TOUR WH WE AND FOOD TASTG25REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.SPRG BREAKOM $72.80 PER ADULTSKIP THE LE & TOUR: VATIN MMS, SISTE CHAPEL & RAPHAEL ROOMS52HISTORIL TOURSOM $68.32 PER ADULTTHE AREA NEIGHBORHOOD: CENTROREAD MOREHOW TO GET THERECAVOUR • 3 M WALKCOLOSSEO • 7 M WALKFULL VIEWBT NEARBYRTRANTS7,261 WH 3 MIZ'S STREET FOOD7780.2 MI$ • QUICK B • ITALIAN • MEDERRANEANGELATERIA S.M.MAGGRE8820.2 MI$ • DSERT • GLUTEN FREE OPTNST & C BURGER LAB3280.2 MI$ • QUICK B • AMERIN • VEGETARIAN FRIENDLYFUORORMA1,2190.3 MI$ • QUICK B • HEALTHY • STREET FOODGELATERIA LL’ANGELETTO7840.2 MI$ • DSERT • ITALIAN • UKRAIANTRITE PIZZA1,0670.2 MI$ • ITALIAN • PIZZA • FAST FOODCUO & CAMICIA9890.1 MI$$ - $$$ • ITALIAN • MEDERRANEAN • EUROPEANMI'NDUJO - MONTI6620.3 MI$$ - $$$ • ITALIAN • FAST FOOD • HEALTHYRISTORANTE DOGMA108432 FTCENTRAL-ITALIANSAPORI E DELIZIE1,9700.1 MI$ • ITALIAN • PIZZA • MEDERRANEANSEE ALLATTRACTNS2,241 WH 6 CHIA DI SANTA LUCIA SELCI293 FTHISTORIC S • CHURCH & CATHEDRALSPALAZZO BRANCC1540.1 MIPOTS OF INTERT & LANDMARKS • ARCHECTURAL BUILDGSBASILI DI SANTA MARIA MAGGRE16,5140.2 MIHISTORIC S • POTS OF INTERT & LANDMARKSRNE MONTI4180.2 MINEIGHBORHOODS • POTS OF INTERT & LANDMARKSBASILI DI SANTA PRASSE1,2350.2 MICHURCH & CATHEDRALSIL MEO DELLE ILLNI33432 FTSPECIALY MMS • ART MMSCAPUT MUNDI SHOPPG MALL3432 FTSHOPPG MALLSTORRE I CAPOCCI13267 FTOBSERVATN DECKS & TOWERSPRIMOSALE432 FTFARMERS MARKETSTOMBA DEI NASONI1432 FTHISTORIC S • MONUMENTS & STATUSEE ALLCONTRIBUTEWRE A REVIEWUPLOAD A PHOTOREVIEWSQ&AFILTERSENGLISHMOST RECENTDETAILED REVIEWS: REVIEWS ORR RMED BY SCRIPTIVENS OF ER-INTIFIED THEM SUCH AS CLEANLS, ATMOSPHERE, GENERAL TIPS AND LOTN RMATN.3.522 REVIEWSEXCELLENT6VERY GOOD6AVERAGE5POOR0TERRIBLE5MR. FABULONEW YORK CY, NY2,644 NTRIBUTNS7MISS THIS PLACEJAN 2017 • SOLOI VIS ROME TWICE A YEAR AND THIS WAS MY BT BAR,VERY IENDLY BARTENR AND PEOPLE,I MET MANY GUYS HERE,SAD THAT THIS IS PERMANENTLY OTHER BAR LIKE THIS ROME.I WILL MISS THIS PLACE WHEN I GO TO MONTI DISTRICT ON MY NEXT TRIP.READ MOREWRTEN JANUARY 4, 2017THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.DAVE TMANCHTER, UK62 NTRIBUTNS11CLOSED APR 2016AFTER SEARCHG FOR AN HR DOWN DARK STREETS. WE FAL FOUND CLOSED. REALLY WANTED TO FD ROME'S OLST GAY BAR. SHAME WAS SHUT. LOOKED PERMANENT READ MOREWRTEN APRIL 28, 2016THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.D B WATLANTA, GA3 NTRIBUTNS3IF YOU SEEKG AN OLR TYPE FEEL BAR.JUL 2015WAS A TYPIL OLR BAR. STAFF WERE NICE AND IENDLY. CROWD SEEMED TO BE MORE LOL TYP. OVERALL, WAS A NICE STOP FOR A DRK TO CHECK OUT THE OLST GAY BAR ROME.READ MOREWRTEN JULY 27, 2015THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.MRCLEANJRINDIANAPOLIS, IN4 NTRIBUTNS1CISY AGG BARTHIS BAR IS A CLASSIC NTENTAL GAY BAR. DARK OLD DGY AND CISY. LOOKED THE SAME OM THE LAST VIS I MA 2011. SATURDAY NIGHT CROWD IS LATE AND MORATELY BY. NOTHG EXCEPTNAL.READ MOREWRTEN JUNE 15, 2014THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.RICLONDON89LONDON, UK25 NTRIBUTNS6GREAT IENDLY/OLD-FASHNED BARMAR 2014 • FRIENDSMY IENDS AND I REALLY ENJOYED THE ATMOSPHERE THE HANGAR, THE OLST GAY BAR ROME. WE WERE GREETED BY A VERY IENDLY AMERIN GENTLEMAN AT THE DOOR. THE GUYS AT THE AT-CHECK AND BEHD THE BAR WERE ALSO VERY PLEASANT. THE STRIPPER SHOW WAS ENJOYABLE. IF YOU LIKE NON-MP MEN AND A NO-FS, TRADNAL STYLE GAY BAR, THEN VIS THE HANGAR. IF LIKE YOU ARE AGEIST AND LOOKG FOR A LOUD, BRIGHT, MP, MORN STYLE DANCE BAR THEN PERHAPS THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.READ MOREWRTEN MARCH 7, 2014THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN ANPHILEONTHEMOVELOT-ET-GARONNE, FRANCE1,195 NTRIBUTNS3ABSOLUTELY APPALLGSEP 2013THIS IS POSSIBLY THE WORST GAY VENUE I HAVE EVER VISED. ONE HAS TO PAY AND REGISTER TO GET BUT THEN YOU'RE NONTED WH A PRE-STONEWALL DUMP. THE PLACE IS FILTHY, THE MIC DREADFUL AND THE AMBIENCE LACKG. THE WORST THG ARE THE TOILETS. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY REVOLTG. PLEASE DON'T GO TO THIS PLACE. READ MOREWRTEN SEPTEMBER 4, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.SIMET123LAPELLE-BIRON, FRANCE128 NTRIBUTNS5WORST GAY BAR I HAVE BEEN TOOSEP 2013THIS PLACE IS AWFUL . THERE IS A 4 RO ENTRANCE FEE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO A SMALL DARK SQUALID CLUB WHICH IS SO OUT OF DATE WH THE GAY SCENE THE DAYS . THE TOILETS ARE DARK AND DIRTY AND ARE THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN THIS IS NOT A PLACE TO VIS EX NEEDS A TOTAL CLEAN AND RE PAT ALL I N SAY IS HORRIBLE , GAY GUYS ARE WORTH MORE THAN THIS CLUB DON'T GO .READ MOREWRTEN SEPTEMBER 4, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.BCE B3 NTRIBUTNS3ONLY OPEN AT NIGHTITS TOO BAD THE HANGAR ISN'T OPEN THE DAYTIME. I WAS OUT WALKG AND WANTED A LD DRK WH A HOT MAN AND NOTHG WAS OPEN FOR GAY PEOPLE TO HANG OUT WH OTHER GAY PEOPLE.READ MOREWRTEN AUGT 21, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.LISAWEB116 NTRIBUTNS2FRIENDLY PLACE TO CHILL AFTER A LONG DAY OF SEEG THE SIGHTS!JUL 2013 • FRIENDSFRIENDLY STAFF, WELL MA DRKS AND GREAT PLACE JT TO CHILL OUT AT THE END OF THE DAY!I LIKED THEIR SYSTEM OF HOW THE PRICE OF THE DRKS ARE TERMED! YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT!READ MOREWRTEN JULY 30, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.J183DUBL, IRELAND478 NTRIBUTNS2WEIRD EXPERIENCEI WAS NOT EXPECTG TO WATCH PORN A BAR! FULL OF OLD PEOPLE WHICH WAS VERY UNNFORTABLE! ITS LOTN WAS VERY HARD TO FD EVEN THOUGH WE WALKED PAST A FEW TIM. ITS A BIG BLACK DOOR WHICH LOOKS LIKE A NORMAL HOE. STAFF ARE OLD AND THEY DONT HAVE A GREAT CHOICE OF DRKS. THEY SEEMED TO BE SELLG MORE NDOMS THAN DRKS. AS FOR THE 'DARK ROOM' WAS A CURTA WH A DIRTY OLD MAN STANDG BEHD OUR WAS HIS 50'S, THERE WASNT EVEN A LIGHT TO SEE THERE. WEIRD!!!READ MOREWRTEN MARCH 20, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.12SHOWG RULTS 1-10 OF 15JURI P2 NTRIBUTNSLA DOMENI è APERTO ??ADD A REPLYVIEW ALLALSO POPULAR WH TRAVELERSSEE ALL2023THE BASEMENT - PUB. COCKTAIL BAR. EVENTS.549BARS & CLUBSPRATIVOROMA WE STUD & SOCIAL CLUB615WE TOURS & TASTGS • WE BARSMONTI2023LA BOTTICELLA435BARS & CLUBSNAVONA / PANTHEON / CAMPO ’ FRI2023RIMSA ROSCLI984COOKG CLASS • WE BARSNAVONA / PANTHEON / CAMPO ’ FRIEATWH72BAR, CLUB & PUB TOURS • BEER TASTGS & TOURSPIAZZA VENEZIA / ANCIENT CYROME'S ULTIMATE PARTY254BARS & CLUBSCAMPO MARZCOLOSSM BAR HOP296BAR, CLUB & PUB TOURS • NIGHT TOURSMONTI2023ICE CLUB976BARS & CLUBSMONTITHE BRISH CORNER264BARS & CLUBSPRENTO LABINO2023CARGO302BARS & CLUBSPRENTO LABINOIS THIS YOUR TRIPADVISOR LISTG?OWN OR MANAGE THIS PROPERTY? CLAIM YOUR LISTG FOR EE TO RPOND TO REVIEWS, UPDATE YOUR PROFILE AND MUCH MORE.CLAIM YOUR LISTGHANGAR (ROME) - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO (WH PHOTOS)
• COMPANY ROMAROMEMENUHOTELS · LUXURYHOTELS · MID-RANGE + BUDGETGUTHOE / B&BON TODAYBARSDANCE CLUBSCISE CLUBSSNASSHOPSSERVICTOURSCY GUIGAY MAPCOMPANY ROMA
• ROME GAY DISTRICT
• GAY VILLAGE
• THE VATIN’S SECRET LIFEDPE HEADL ABOUT A POWERFUL “GAY LOBBY” WH THE VATIN, AND A NEW POPE PROMISG REFORM, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S GAY RDALS, MONKS, AND OTHER CLERGY HAB A HIDN HERWORLD. IN ROME, THE THOR LEARNS HOW THEY NAVIGATE THE DANGERO PARADOX OF THEIR LIV.BY MICHAEL JOSEPH GROSSNOVEMBER 15, 2013SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVENAKED BUT FOR THE TOWEL AROUND HIS WAIST, A MAN OF A CERTA AGE SAT BY HIMSELF, BENT SLIGHTLY FORWARD AS IF PRAYG, A RNER OF THE SNA AT A GYM CENTRAL ROME. I HAD NOT MET THIS MAN BEFORE, BUT AS I ENTERED THE SNA, I THOUGHT I REGNIZED HIM OM PHOTOGRAPHS. HE LOOKED LIKE A PRIT WH WHOM I’D RRPOND AFTER MUTUAL IENDS PUT TOUCH, A MAN I HAD WANTED TO NSULT ABOUT GAY CLERICS THE VATIN CURIA. MY IENDS TOLD ME THAT THIS PRIT WAS GAY, POLILLY SAVVY, AND WELL NNECTED TO THE GAY CHURCH HIERARCHY ROME.BUT THIS ULDN’T BE THAT PRIT. HE HAD TOLD ME THAT HE’D BE AWAY AND ULDN’T MEET. YET AS I LOOKED AT THE MAN MORE CLOSELY, I SAW THAT WAS FELY HIM. WHEN WE WERE ALONE, I SPOKE HIS NAME, TELLG HIM ME. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE OUT OF THE UNTRY,” I SAID. “HOW LUCKY FOR ME: YOU’RE HERE!” STARTLED, THE PRIT TALKED FAST. Y, HIS PLANS HAD CHANGED, HE SAID, BUT HE WAS LEAVG AGA THE NEXT DAY AND WOULD RETURN ONLY AFTER I WAS GONE.DURG THE PREV FEW DAYS, I HAD HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS MAN. I HAD HEARD THAT HE IS A GOSSIP, A SOCIAL OPERATOR WHOSE LENDAR IS A BLUR OF DRKS AND DNERS WH RDALS AND ARCHBISHOPS, PRCIPSAS AND PERSONAL TRAERS. SUPPOSEDLY, HE LOV TO DISH MALE LLEAGU WH MPY FEMALE NICKNAM. BUT I WOULD NEVER HAVE THE EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND. THE PRIT WAS EMBARRASSED: TO HAVE BEEN CHANCED UPON AT THIS PLACE; TO HAVE HAD HIS SMALL EVASNS REVEALED. THE ENUNTER WAS AWKWARD. NO, HE DID NOT WISH TO DISCS THE SUBJECT I WAS TERTED . NO, HE DID NOT THK THE SUBJECT WORTHWHILE. THE THGS HE MA CLEAR. WE LEFT THE SNA AND, AFTER FURTHER NVERSATN, CIVIL BUT STILTED, WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS.I ULD UNRSTAND HIS DISFORT. BUT ROME THE DAYS THE TOPIC OF GAY PRITS THE UPPER REACH OF THE HOLY SEE IS HARD TO AVOID. IN FEBARY OF THIS YEAR, NOT LONG BEFORE THE COLLEGE OF CARDALS GATHERED THE SISTE CHAPEL FOR THE NCLAVE TO CHOOSE THE 266TH POPE, THE LARGT ITALIAN DAILY NEWSPAPER, LA REPUBBLI, REPORTED THAT A “GAY LOBBY”—A MORE OR LS UNIFIED BAL OF HOMOSEXUAL POWER BROKERS—MIGHT BE OPERATG SI THE VATIN. ACRDG TO THE NEWSPAPER, THE POSSIBLE EXISTENCE OF THIS GAY LOBBY WAS AMONG THE MANY SECRETS SCRIBED A TWO-VOLUME, 300-PAGE REPORT BOUND RED AND PRENTED TO POPE BENEDICT XVI BY THREE RDALS HE HAD APPOTED TO VTIGATE THE AFFAIR KNOWN AS “VATILEAKS.” THAT SNDAL, WHICH RAISED H SPICNS OF ENMIC RPTN WH THE CURIA, HAD BROKEN THE PREV YEAR AFTER PAOLO GABRIELE, THE PAPAL BUTLER, MA OFF WH SOME OF BENEDICT’S PRIVATE PAPERS AND LEAKED THEM TO THE PRS.THE TERNAL VATILEAKS REPORT, ACRDG TO LA REPUBBLI, DITED THAT GAY CLERICS THE VATIN WERE BEG BLACKMAILED. THE REPORT WAS ALSO SAID TO DOCUMENT THE ALLEGED GAY LOBBY’S SOCIAL STCTURE AND CTOMS. YET TAILS NCERNG GAY PRITS’ GATHERGS ADD UP TO OLD NEWS: THE TAL HAD BEEN TOLD ARTICL PREVLY PUBLISHED BY LA REPUBBLI SELF. SENSATNALLY, THE NEWSPAPER SUGGTED THAT BENEDICT’S NCERN ABOUT THE ALLEGED GAY LOBBY WAS ONE REASON HE HAD SUDNLY RIGNED THE PAPACY.MONTHS LATER, ANOTHER LEAK OF NFINTIAL RMATN BROUGHT THE SUBJECT OF A GAY LOBBY BACK TO THE NEWS. SOMEONE TOOK NOT DURG WHAT WAS MEANT TO BE A PRIVATE MEETG BETWEEN LAT-AMERIN CHURCH LEARS AND THE NEW POPE, THE FORMER RDAL JE BERGOGL, ARCHBISHOP OF BUENOS AIR, NOW KNOWN AS FRANCIS. IN JUNE, THOSE NOT WERE PUBLISHED ON A PROGRSIVE CATHOLIC WEB SE. FRANCIS WAS QUOTED AS SAYG, “THE ‘GAY LOBBY’ IS MENTNED, AND IS TE, IS THERE … WE NEED TO SEE WHAT WE N DO.”A CLOSET WH NO DOORGAY LOBBY? IT PENDS ON WHAT YOU MEAN. THE TERM ULD REFER TO A SHADOWY GROUP LIKE THE ILLUMATI, WHOSE MEMBERS QUIETLY EXERCISE SUPREME POWER. THIS IS THE SORT OF IA THAT LIGHTS UP THE TIL HATS OF NSPIRACY THEORISTS, AND DON’T PTURE THE SLOW, FDAL, EFFICIENT WORKGS OF THE VATIN. “GAY LOBBY” IS REALLY SHORTHAND FOR SOMETHG ELSE. AT THE VATIN, A SIGNIFINT NUMBER OF GAY PRELAT AND OTHER GAY CLERICS ARE POSNS OF GREAT THORY. THEY MAY NOT ACT AS A LLECTIVE BUT ARE AWARE OF ONE ANOTHER’S EXISTENCE. AND THEY HAB A SECRETIVE HERWORLD, BEE HOMOSEXUALY IS OFFICIALLY NMNED. THOUGH THE NUMBER OF GAY PRITS GENERAL, AND SPECIFILLY AMONG THE CURIA ROME, IS UNKNOWN, THE PROPORTN IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE GENERAL POPULATN. BETWEEN 20 AND 60 PERCENT OF ALL CATHOLIC PRITS ARE GAY, ACRDG TO ONE TIMATE CED BY DONALD B. COZZENS HIS WELL-REGARD THE CHANGG FACE OF THE PRITHOOD. FOR GAY CLERICS AT THE VATIN, ONE FUNDAMENTAL NDN OF THEIR POWER, AND OF THEIR PRITHOOD, IS SILENCE, AT LEAST PUBLIC, ABOUT WHO THEY REALLY ARE.CLERICS HAB THIS SILENCE A VARIETY OF WAYS. A FEW KEEP THEIR SEXUALY ENTIRELY PRIVATE AND ADHERE TO THE VOW OF CELIBACY. MANY OTHERS QUIETLY LET THEMSELV BE KNOWN AS GAY TO A LIMED GREE, TO SOME LLEAGU, OR TO SOME LAYPEOPLE, OR BOTH; SOMETIM THEY REMA CELIBATE AND SOMETIM THEY DO NOT. A THIRD WAY, PERHAPS THE LEAST MON BUT CERTALY THE MOST VISIBLE, VOLV LIVG A DOUBLE LIFE. OCSNALLY SUCH CLERICS ARE UNMASKED, UALLY BY STORI THE ITALIAN PRS. IN 2010, FOR THE BETTER PART OF A MONTH, ONE STRAIGHT JOURNALIST PRETEND TO BE THE BOYIEND OF A GAY MAN WHO ACTED AS A “HONEYPOT” AND ENTRAPPED ACTUAL GAY PRITS VAR SEXUAL SUATNS. (THE RDAL VIR OF ROME WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF VTIGATG. THE PRITS’ FAT ARE UNKNOWN.)THERE ARE AT LEAST A FEW GAY RDALS, CLUDG ONE WHOSE LONG-TERM PARTNER IS A WELL-KNOWN MISTER A PROTTANT NOMATN. THERE IS THE NOTOR MONSIGNOR NICKNAMED “JSI,” WHO LIK TO VIS A PONTIFIL UNIVERSY AND PASS OUT HIS BS RD TO 25-YEAR-OLD NOVIC. (AMONG THE MONSIGNOR’S PICKUP L: “DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE BED OF JOHN XXIII?”) THERE’S THE SUPPOSEDLY STRAIGHT MAN WHO HAS A SECRET LIFE AS A GAY PROSTUTE ROME AND POSTS PHOTOGRAPHS ONLE OF THE NERMOST RRIDORS OF THE VATIN. WHETHER HE RECEIVED THIS PRIVILEGED ACCS OM SOME IEND OR FAY MEMBER, OR OM A CLIENT, IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY; TO SEE A KNOWN RENT BOY BLACK LEATHER ON A PRIVATE VATIN BALNY DO RAISE AN EYEBROW.THE VATIN HOLDS SECRETS SO TIGHTLY THAT N MAKE FORT MEA LOOK LIKE A SLOPPY DNK. YET DOZENS OF TERVIEWS WH CURRENT AND FORMER GAY PRITS, GAY MONKS, VETERAN VATIN JOURNALISTS, ITALIAN ARISTOCRATS, AND GAY MEN AT ROMAN GYMS, BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, SEX CLUBS, AND RTRANTS SUGGT THAT, RIVETG AS THE MORE GRAPHIC STORI ARE, THEY NVEY A LIMED PART OF THE REALY OF GAY CLERIL LIFE ROME. TO BE GAY THE VATIN IS NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCS, MARK OF BELONGG, OR SHORTCUT TO EROTIC TRIGUE. MOST BASILLY IS A SENTENCE OF ISOLATN. GAYS THE VATIN ARE CREATUR OF A CUTTHROAT BURECRACY WHOSE DOGMATIC WORLDVIEW NI OR NIGRAT THEIR OWN EXISTENCE. THEY LIVE A CLOSET THAT HAS NO DOOR. AMONG RECENT POP, BENEDICT MA THE MOST NCERTED EFFORT TO SHARPEN CHURCH DOCTRE ON HOMOSEXUALY, WHICH HE ONCE LLED “A MORE OR LS STRONG TENNCY ORRED TOWARD AN TRSIC MORAL EVIL.” HE TRIED TO CULL GAYS OM CLERIL RANKS, MOST NOTABLY 2005, WHEN MEN WH KNOWN “EP-SEATED HOMOSEXUAL TENNCI” WERE PROHIBED OM BEG ORDAED, EVEN IF THEY WERE CELIBATE.DENUNCIATN AND EXPOSURE HAVE MA GAY PRITS FIGUR OF FASCATN—THOUGH LS AS PEOPLE THAN AS SYMBOLS—PECIALLY TO THE SECULAR FAR LEFT AND THE RELIG FAR RIGHT. BOTH SIS FD THE CLERICS TO BE POLILLY EFUL. THE LEFT THEM TO LEVEL CHARG OF HYPOCRISY. THE RIGHT SE THEM AS A STA NEED OF REMOVAL. THEY ALL GOT A SHOCK LATE LAST JULY WHEN FRANCIS MA HIS FIRST DIRECT PUBLIC STATEMENT ABOUT GAY CLERICS SCE BEG POPE.DURG AN IMPROMPTU PRS NFERENCE ABOARD THE PAPAL JET, EN ROUTE OM R JANEIRO TO ROME AFTER HIS FIRST OVERSEAS TRIP, FRANCIS WAS ASKED ABOUT THE SO-LLED GAY LOBBY. HIS RPONSE, LIVERED WH SUAL HUMOR AND PUNCTUATED BY SHGS AND S, WAS AS FOLLOWS: “SO MUCH HAS BEEN WRTEN ABOUT THE GAY LOBBY. I STILL HAVEN’T N TO ANYONE THE VATIN WHO HAS SHOWN ME AN INTY RD WH ‘GAY’ ON .” HE PANTOMIMED HOLDG UP SUCH A RD HIS LEFT HAND AND THEN WENT ON: “WHEN YOU FD YOURSELF WH A PERSON LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN THE FACT OF A PERSON BEG GAY AND THE FACT OF SOMEBODY FORMG A LOBBY. . . . IF A PERSON IS GAY AND IS SEARCHG FOR THE LORD AND HAS GOODWILL, WHO AM I TO JUDGE HIM?”MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKLE H BEYONCE SHOW IN LABY EVE BATEYJENNA ORTEGA REILS AT JOHNNY DEPP DATG RUMORS BY EVE BATEYKYLE DCHANEL, THE ROTHSCHILD WHO WASN’TBY NATE FREEMANHE SPOKE THE WORDS WH A PALPABLE WARMTH, UNLIKE THE EMBATTLED, WARY TONE THAT OTHER POP HAVE ADOPTED. THIS MAY WELL HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME HISTORY THAT A POPE HAS PUBLICLY UTTERED THE TERM “GAY”—THE WORD THAT MOST MEN WHO FEEL ROMANTIC LOVE FOR OTHER MEN E TO SCRIBE THEMSELV—STEAD OF THE PATHOLOGIZG 19TH-CENTURY MEDIL TERM “HOMOSEXUAL.” THEN, A LENGTHY TERVIEW WH A JU JOURNAL, THE POPE WENT FURTHER, STATG THAT THE CHURCH’S MISTRY SHOULD NOT BE “OBSSED” WH A FEW DIVISIVE MORAL ISSU SUCH AS ABORTN AND GAY MARRIAGE. “WHEN GOD LOOKS AT A GAY PERSON, DO HE ENDORSE THE EXISTENCE OF THIS PERSON WH LOVE, OR REJECT AND NMN THIS PERSON?” THE POPE ASKED RHETORILLY. “WE MT ALWAYS NSIR THE PERSON.”EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELFTAL OF GAYS THE VATIN HAVE BEEN TOLD FOR MORE THAN A THOAND YEARS. POPE JOHN XII, WHO REIGNED OM 955 TO 964, WAS ACCED OF HAVG SEX WH MEN AND BOYS AND TURNG THE PAPAL PALACE “TO A WHOREHOE.” WHILE TRYG TO PERSUA A BBLER’S APPRENTICE TO HAVE SEX WH HIM, POPE BONIFACE VIII, WHO REIGNED OM 1294 TO 1303, WAS SAID TO HAVE ASSURED THE BOY THAT TWO MEN HAVG SEX WAS “NO MORE A S THAN BBG YOUR HANDS TOGETHER.” AFTER PL II, WHO REIGNED OM 1464 TO 1471, DIED OF A HEART ATTACK—WHILE FLAGRANTE LICTO WH A PAGE, ACRDG TO ONE MOR—HE WAS SUCCEED BY SIXT IV, WHO KEPT A NEPHEW AS HIS LOVER (AND MA THE NEPHEW A RDAL AT AGE 17). SOME SUCH STORI ARE BETTER SUBSTANTIATED THAN OTHERS. EVEN WHILE THEIR RELIABILY IS QUTNABLE, THEY MONSTRATE THAT PLAYG THE GAY RD (EVEN IF YOU YOURSELF ARE GAY) IS AN ANCIENT CURIAL TACTIC. “THERE ARE CLOSETED GAY PRITS WHO ARE VIPERS,” OBSERV THE THEOLOGIAN MARK D. JORDAN, THE THOR OF THE SILENCE OF SODOM: HOMOSEXUALY MORN CATHOLICISM. “THEY ARE REALLY POISONO PEOPLE, AND THEY WORK OUT THEIR OWN NER MONOLOGY BY GETTG TO POSNS POWER AND EXERCISG ” AGAST OTHER GAY MEN, WOMEN, AND ANYONE WHOM THEY PERCEIVE TO BE A THREAT. “ALONGSI THAT ARE SUFFERG PRITS WHO SEEM SCERE ALL THE WAY DOWN, WHO ARE TRYG TO BE FAHFUL TO GOD, AND ALSO TO TAKE RE OF PEOPLE AND CHANGE THE STUTN. THEY ARE THE ON WHO ARE ALWAYS FOTTEN, AND READ OUT OF THE STORY OM BOTH SIS.”THE CATHOLIC PRITHOOD’S NTEMPORARY GAY CULTURAL MEMORY BEGS THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST CENTURY. WHEN PL VI ASSUMED THE THRONE, 1963, BY ONE ACUNT HE TOOK HIS PAPAL NAME NOT OM ANY PRECSOR BUT OM A FORMER LOVER, A FILM ACTOR. THAT AT LEAST WAS THE NTENTN OF THE PROVOTIVE GAY FRENCH WRER ROGER PEYREFTE, WHOSE 1976 ALLEGATNS ABOUT PL VI ED SUCH A STIR THAT PL TOOK TO THE BALNY OF ST. PETER’S TO NOUNCE THE “HORRIBLE AND SLANRO” ACCATNS. PL LOOKED A LGHGSTOCK, AND THE CURIA LEARNED A LSON: BETTER TO IGNORE SUCH CHARG THAN TO AMPLIFY THEM BY NIAL.MEANWHILE, SOME GAY CLERICS WERE OUTGROWG THE “PARTICULAR IENDSHIPS” THAT HAD LONG BEEN PART OF MONASTIC LIFE AND JOG THE SEXUAL REVOLUTN. BY THE 1970S, THE CENTER OF GAY LIFE ROME WAS A CISG AREA LLED MONTE CAPRO, ON THE CAPOLE HILL. AT A SMALL PARTY OF GAY MONKS AND THEIR IENDS ROME LAST SUMMER, NVERSATN TURNED TO RELLECTNS OF THAT PLACE. “IT WAS LIKE S OWN LTLE CY,” ONE MONK REMEMBERED, “WH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE—EVERYONE OM SEMARIANS TO BISHOPS—AND THEN THERE WERE, NVENIENTLY, BH OFF TO THE SI.” THE FELLOW FEELG AT MONTE CAPRO WAS PROMISED BY THE AIR OF SECRECY AROUND THE PLACE. THE AREA WAS A TARGET FOR MUGGERS AND THIEV, WHO FIGURED RIGHTLY THAT CLERICS WOULD MAKE IAL VICTIMS BEE THEY HAD MUCH TO LOSE BY THE PUBLIC ACT OF PRSG CHARG. ONE GAY FORMER SEMARIAN RELLED A NIGHT WHEN THREE MEN BEAT HIM UP AND STOLE HIS WALLET WHILE NUMERO MEN THE CROWD PARK STOOD BY. LEFT BLOODIED BY THE THIEV, THE SEMARIAN HOLLERED AT THE BYSTANRS, “THERE’S THREE OF THEM AND 300 OF !”HE TOLD ME THIS STORY, WH S ECHO OF THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARAN— WHICH A TRAVELER IS ROBBED, BEATEN, AND LEFT BY THE SI OF THE ROAD, AND P MEN DO NOTHG TO HELP HIM—TO ILLTRATE THE EVERY-MAN-FOR-HIMSELF DYNAMIC OF ROME’S GAY CLERIL CULTURE. GAY CLERICS OFTEN FAIL TO HELP ONE ANOTHER, HE SAYS, FOR THE SAME REASON THAT NO ONE TRIED TO HELP HIM THE NIGHT THAT HE WAS ROBBED: SOLIDARY ENTAILS THE RISK OF BEG OUTED.“LA MALETTA”SELF-CENTEREDNS N BREED A SENSE OF ENTLEMENT. “A CERTA PART OF THE CLERGY FEELS THAT NO ONE WILL RE WHAT THEY DO IF THEY ARE DISCREET,” SAYS MAR POLI, A PROMENT ITALIAN JOURNALIST AND LONGTIME VATIN RRPONNT, AND THE THOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS ABOUT THE PAPACY AND THE CHURCH. IN 2000, POLI PUBLISHED A BOOK-LENGTH TERVIEW WH AN ANONYMO GAY PRIT, ENTLED LA CONFSNE, REPUBLISHED 2006 AS IO, PRETE GAY (I, GAY PRIT). “RUMORS ARE O.K., BUT NOT SNDAL,” POLI OBSERV.THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SNDAL, THOUGH. IN 2007, MONSIGNOR TOMMASO STENI MET A YOUNG MAN AN ONLE CHAT ROOM AND VED HIM TO HIS VATIN OFFICE, WHERE THEIR NVERSATN— WHICH STENI NIED THAT GAY SEX WAS A S, TOUCHED THE MAN’S LEG, AND SAID, “YOU’RE SO HOT”—WAS SECRETLY VIOTAPED AND THEN BROADST ON ITALIAN TELEVISN. (STENI TRIED TO PERSUA ITALIAN NEWSPAPERS THAT HE’D JT BEEN PLAYG ALONG ORR “TO STUDY HOW PRITS ARE ENSNARED” TO GAY SEX AS PART OF “A DIABOLIL PLAN BY GROUPS OF SATANISTS.” HE WAS SPEND OM HIS VATIN POSN.) IN 2006 A PRIT THE VATIN’S SECRETARIAT OF STATE JURED POLICE OFFICERS AND SMASHED TO POLICE RS DURG A HIGH-SPEED CHASE THROUGH A DISTRICT ROME KNOWN FOR TRANSSEXUALS AND PROSTUT. (THE PRIT WAS ACQUTED ON ALL CHARG AFTER CLAIMG THAT HE FLED BEE HE FEARED HE WAS BEG KIDNAPPED.) IN A 2010 VTIGATN OF NTRACT FIXG FOR NSTCTN PROJECTS, ITALIAN POLICE WIRETAPS HAPPENED TO TCH A PAPAL HER AND GENTLEMAN OF HIS HOLS, ANGELO BALDUCCI, ALLEGEDLY HIRG MALE PROSTUT, SOME OF WHOM MAY HAVE BEEN SEMARIANS, THROUGH A NIGERIAN MEMBER OF A VATIN CHOIR. (THE CHOIR MEMBER WAS DISMISSED; BALDUCCI WAS NVICTED ON RPTN CHARG.)POPE BENEDICT WAS MORED TO HAVE ORRED THAT PRELAT WHO WERE LIVG DOUBLE LIV BE RETIRED OR REMOVED OM ROME. MAR POLI SPECULAT THAT PERHAPS AS MANY AS 30 WERE EASED OUT. THE MOST SENR PRELATE TO LOSE HIS JOB WAS CARDAL KEH O’BRIEN, THE ARCHBISHOP OF ST. ANDREWS AND EDBURGH. A STNCH OPPONENT OF GAY MARRIAGE WHO HAD PUBLICLY LLED HOMOSEXUALY A “MORAL GRADATN,” O’BRIEN WAS BROUGHT DOWN FEBARY BY THREE PRITS AND ONE EX-PRIT WHO ACCED HIM OF “APPROPRIATE NTACT” AND PREDATORY BEHAVR WHEN HE WAS THEIR BISHOP. THE EPISOS REUNTED BY THE FOUR MEN VOLVED SUCH NSISTENT PATTERNS OVER MORE THAN 30 YEARS THAT SOME OF O’BRIEN’S LLEAGU SURELY MT HAVE HAD THEIR SPICNS. WHEN I ASKED ONE ARCHBISHOP IF HE HAD KNOWN THAT O’BRIEN WAS GAY, HOWEVER, THE ARCHBISHOP SAID HE HAD NOT. WHEN I ASKED THE ARCHBISHOP WHO AMONG THE OTHER RDALS WERE O’BRIEN’S CLOST IENDS, HE LDLY ANSWERED, “I DON’T THK HE HAD ANY.” EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, ED.EVEN BENEDICT HAS BEEN DOGGED BY MORS THAT HE IS GAY. THOUGH NO SOLID EVINCE HAS EVER EMERGED, IS TREATED AS MON KNOWLEDGE BY MANY ROME, WHO CE STEREOTYP GALORE, CLUDG HIS FSY FASHN SENSE (HIS BY-RED SLIPPERS, HIS “VALENTO RED” P); HIS CSA TO NAIL DOWN WHY “HOMOSEXUAL ACTNS” ARE “TRSILLY DISORRED” (MANY CLOSETED GAY MEN, OM ROY COHN TO CARDAL O’BRIEN, HAVE MA THE MOST EXTRAORDARY EFFORTS TO NMN HOMOSEXUALY); AND HIS BROMANCE WH ARCHBISHOP GE GäNSWE, HIS LONGTIME PERSONAL SECRETARY. (NICKNAMED BEL GRG, OR “GEO GEE,” THE GGED GäNSWE SKIS, PLAYS TENNIS, AND PILOTS AIRPLAN. HE SPIRED DONATELLA VERSACE’S WTER 2007 “CLERGYMAN LLECTN.”) PERHAPS THE MOST VIC OF BENEDICT’S NICKNAM IS “LA MALETTA.” THE WORD MEANS “CURSED” ITALIAN, BUT THE PUN RIV OM THE FACT THAT THE TERM MEANS THE EXACT OPPOSE OF BENEDICT’S OWN NAME ITALIAN, BENETTO, WHICH MEANS “BLSED”—WH A GENR CHANGE ACHIEVED THE PROCS.NEHER BENEDICT NOR GäNSWE HAS PUBLICLY RPOND TO ANY OF THIS. THE CHATTER’S MA NSEQUENCE HAS BEEN NOT TO HURT THEM PERSONALLY (THOUGH SURELY MT, AT LEAST A LTLE) BUT TO HELP LOCK DOWN GENUE NVERSATN ABOUT THE EVERYDAY LIV OF GAY PRITS, WHETHER CELIBATE OR NOT. IT IS MORE OR LS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GAY CLERICS TO ARTICULATE THEIR AFFECTNS ANY WAY THAT DO NOT AMOUNT TO WHAT AN ANGLO-SAXON MD MIGHT SEE AS HYPOCRISY. YET SUCH A DUALISTIC EXISTENCE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF CHURCH TRADN. “THIS IS ALMOST AN ASPECT OF THE CATHOLIC RELIGN SELF,” COLM TóIBíN HAS WRTEN AN SAY ON GAYS AND CATHOLICISM, “THIS BS OF KNOWG AND NOT KNOWG SOMETHG ALL AT THE SAME TIME, KEEPG AN ILLN SEPARATE OM THE TTH.” IT IS ALSO TYPIL OF ITALIAN SEXUALY GENERAL, AND ITALIAN HOMOSEXUALY PARTICULAR. THIS IS THE UNTRY THAT TOLERATED THE SEXUAL PAS AND SERIAL DS OF FORMER PRIME MISTER SILV BERLNI WH SRCELY A HT OF PROTT OM THE HIERARCHY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THIS IS THE UNTRY WHERE UNTLS MARRIED WOMEN IGNORE THEIR HBANDS’ DALLIANC WH MEN.LA BELLA FIGURATHE CULTURE OF CEPTN OPERAT ACRDG TO SIGNALS AND NVENTNS BY WHICH GAY CLERICS NAVIGATE THEIR LIV. CAMP IS PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL AND PERVASIVE OF THE S, THOUGH N BE DIFFICULT TO FE. IRONIC, EFFEMATE SELF-MOCKERY—ALLOWG PRITS TO EXERCISE SOME LIMED REBELLN AGAST THEIR OWN ISOLATN AND VISIBILY—IS ONE FORM OF CLERIL MP. FOR FEAR OF LGHG OUT LOUD, PRITS SOMETIM TRY TO AVOID MAKG EYE NTACT WH ONE ANOTHER CHURCH WHEN HYMNS WH TL LIKE “HAIL, HOLY QUEEN” ARE SUNG. AFTER BERGOGL BEME POPE FRANCIS, YOUTUBE CLIPS OF A SEQUENCE OM FELLI’S ROMA WENT VIRAL AMONG GAY PRITS ROME. IT SHOWS A PLA-LOOKG RDAL WATCHG A NWAY SHOW OF OVER-THE-TOP CLERIL ATTIRE—WHICH ENDS WHEN THE PARTED POPE STEALS THE SHOW BY APPEARG THE GLOR GARB OF A SUN GOD.ONE GAY FORMER PRIT, WHO STILL LIV ROME, SCRIB CLERIL MP AS “A NATURAL WAY OF EXPRSG [GAY INTY] WHILE CELIBATE.” SOCIALLY, HE SAYS, IS “A KEY THAT UNLOCKS A FURTHER ELEMENT OF TST.” THERE’S NOTHG EARTH-SHATTERG ABOUT THIS—’S WHAT EVERY STUTN DO—BUT “THE CHURCH HAS A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICE AT PROTECTG SELF. AS FAR AS THAT GO,” HE SAYS, WH A NOD TO COLE PORTER, “THEY’RE THE TOPS.”WHEN THIS FORMER PRIT BEGAN HIS TN ROME, A PROFSOR TOLD HIM, “THERE SHOULDN’T BE A SUBCULTURE. WE ARE ALL MALE HERE, SO ’S APPROPRIATE TO SAY ‘HER’ OR TO REFER TO OTHER MEN WH FEME PRONOUNS.” THE FORMER PRIT SAYS THAT “NONE OF THIS STCTN WAS ABOUT OUR BEHAVR. IT WAS ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD APPEAR.” HE BELIEV THAT SUCH STCTN ILLTRAT A LTLE-NOTED CHANGE OFFICIAL THKG ABOUT CATHOLIC INTY, AND WHAT SHOULD BE AT S CENTER. “THE SYMBOLS OF THE CHURCH SHOULD BE THE SACRAMENTS,” SUCH AS THE EUCHARIST, HE ARGU, BUT OVER TIME THE PEOPLE WHO ADMISTER THE SACRAMENTS HAVE E TO DISPLACE THEM PROMENCE. IN OTHER WORDS, “THE PRITS BEE THE SYMBOLS” THAT ARE EMED MOST IMPORTANT. WHICH TURN PUTS A PREMIUM ON OUTWARD APPEARANCE AND ENFORC NFORMY TO A CERTA OFFICIAL IAL. THE CHURCH, THEREFORE, IS CREASGLY PREOCCUPIED WH MAKG SURE S LEARS ARE GROOMED OM AMONG “BOYS WHO LOOK HOLY: PLAYG DRS-UP AT THE AMERIN COLLEGE AND GOG DOWN TO PIAZZA NAVONA AT NE P.M. TO SAY THEIR BREVIARI.” SACRAMENTS AND LURGY, THE FORMER PRIT SAYS, ARE “THE KERNEL OF WHAT MAK THE CHURCH IMPORTANT. THIS IS WHAT MAK POWERFUL. NOT THE PROTECTN OF MEDIEVAL STUTNS.”YET THE CHURCH, AS ITALIAN SOCIETY, ’S OFTEN THE SE THAT RIGHT APPEARANCE—LA BELLA FIGURA—IS ALL. IN EVERY TAIL, PARTI CELEBRATG APPOTMENT TO THE VATIN AND OTHER HIGH CHURCH OFFIC N BE LAVISH—“LIKE A POSH GIRL’S WEDDG”—WH MANY CLERICS ATTENDANCE BEG “GAY MEN WEARG EVERYTHG HANDMA, PERFECT, QUEER AS ,” OBSERV ONE PROMENT FIGURE THE ROMAN ART WORLD. BUT LA BELLA FIGURA MATTERS JT AS MUCH AT ORDARY MOMENTS. ESPECIALLY FOR CLERICS WHO BREAK THE VOW OF CELIBACY, IS CCIAL TO KEEP UP APPEARANC THE NORMAL URSE OF LIFE.GAY SNAS ARE GOOD PLAC TO MEET OTHER GAY PRITS AND MONKS. THE BT TIM TO FD CLERICS AT THE SNAS ARE LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENG ON THURSDAYS (WHEN PONTIFIL UNIVERSI HAVE NO CLASS) OR SUNDAYS (AFTER MASS). SOME GAY CELIBATE CLERICS E THE SNAS NOT FOR SEX BUT TO EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF FELLOWSHIP WH OTHERS LIKE THEMSELV. ONE LLS HIS SNA VISS “SOMETHG TO NFIRM MYSELF AS I AM.” (ROME HAS FEW GAY BARS, AND JOHN MOSS, THE AMERIN OWNER OF THE LARGT AND OLST ONE, THE HANGAR, SAYS THAT THE RISE OF INTER CISG, BED WH THE VATIN’S CRACKDOWN ON GAY PRITS, HAS CIMATED HIS GAY CLERIL CLIENTELE. “THERE ED TO BE SO MANY SEMARIANS—SUCH BETIFUL MEN—WHO ME TO THE BAR, AND WE WOULD EVEN GET HIRED TO TAKE PARTI TO THEM SOME OF THE RELIG HO. NOW THERE’S NOBODY.”)ONCE YOU MAKE A NNECTN, ’S POSSIBLE TO E YOUR MONASTERY CELL FOR SEXUAL ASSIGNATNS, AS LONG AS YOU DON’T MAKE MUCH NOISE. “YOU N SNEAK PEOPLE , NO PROBLEM,” ONE GAY MONK SAYS, “BUT TRY TO AVOID NSISTENT PATTERNS OF MOVEMENT.” IN OTHER WORDS, DON’T VE A GUY OVER ON THE SAME DAY OF THE WEEK, OR AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY, VERY OFTEN. THAT SAID, “NO ONE HAS SEX” WH OTHER RINTS OF HIS OWN MONASTERY, A FORMER MONK TOLD ME, “BEE IS LIKE A BIG BROTHER HOE. EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYTHG.”THE MORE SENR THE CLERIC, THE MORE LIKELY HE MAY BE TO PLAY LOOSE WH THE L. ONE LEADG VATIN REPORTER (WHO SAYS THAT, AMONG JOURNALISTS ON THE BEAT, THE TWO MOST MON TOPICS FOR GOSSIP ABOUT CHURCH OFFICIALS ARE “WHO’S GAY AND WHO’S ON THE TAKE”) SCRIB THE LOGIC OF SUCH BEHAVR. “EVERYTHG IS PERMTED BEE YOU ARE A PRCE OF THE URT,” HE SAYS. “IF YOU ARE TLY LOYAL AND ENTSTED WH THE HIGHT LEVEL OF RPONSIBILY, THERE HAS TO BE AN EXTRA LIBERTY ATTACHED ORR TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF.”VOWS OF CELIBACY DON’T SAY ANYTHG ABOUT EYE NDY. SOME CURIA OFFICIALS ARE SAID TO HANDPICK EXTREMELY HANDSOME MEN FOR MENIAL JOBS ORR TO MAKE VATIN CY MORE SCENIC. A LAYMAN I KNOW WHOSE JOB REQUIR EQUENT TRIPS TO THE VATIN ED TO ENJOY FLIRTG WH A MCULAR GO-GO BOY WHO DANCED ON THE BAR AT A GAY NIGHTCLUB ROME. ONE DAY AT THE VATIN, THIS LAYMAN WAS AMAZED TO SEE THE DANCER OUT OF NTEXT, DRSED THE UNIFORM OF A SECURY GUARD. WHEN HE MA TO GREET THE MAN, THE GUARD SIGNALED HIM TO STAY BACK, RAISG A FGER TO HIS LIPS A QUIET “SHHHHH … ”WHERE SILENCE N’T STRICTLY BE KEPT, WORD GAM N PARTMENTALIZE THE TTH. IN THE VATIN OFFICE OF A MONSIGNOR WHO I’D BEEN TOLD MIGHT HAVE SOME FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE NCERNG RECENT GAY SNDALS THE CHURCH, I ASKED, POT-BLANK, “ARE YOU GAY?,” AND HE SERENELY ANSWERED, “NO.” I REPLIED, “I WONR, IF A PRIT IS HOMOSEXUAL—BUT DO NOT PARTICIPATE MASTREAM SECULAR GAY CULTURE—ULD HE SAY THAT HE IS NOT ‘GAY’ AND STILL THK HE’S TELLG THE TTH?” “WHAT AN TERTG QUTN,” THE MONSIGNOR SAID, IMMEDIATELY STANDG UP AND GTURG ME TO THE DOOR. “I’M AAID I DON’T HAVE ANY MORE TIME TO TALK.” HE SISTED ON PERSONALLY WALKG ME OUT OF THE BUILDG, AND AS WE PASSED ALONG A GRAND HALLWAY I REMARKED UPON S BETY. “I DON’T SEE ,” HE REPLIED ARCHLY. “TO ME, OTHER HALLWAYS ARE ‘BETIFUL.’ ” WAS THIS AN NOCENT REMARK, OR A D ANSWER TO MY QUTN? SOMETIM TALKG TO GAY PRITS FEELS LIKE READG STORI BY B.FOR THOSE WHO WANT , ANIZED WORKS N PROVI SOME GROUNDG. A FEW SMALL GROUPS OF GAY CATHOLICS ROME OPERATE PUBLICLY, BUT BEE ANYONE N E TO THEIR MEETGS, N BE RISKY FOR PRITS, PECIALLY VATIN OFFICIALS, TO BE PART OF THEM. ONE PRIVATE GROUP OF ABOUT 50 GAY PRITS AND LAYMEN MEETS ONCE A YEAR, FOR A KD OF RETREAT. A VATIN PRIT I MET WH—HE ACTUALLY VED ME TO STOP BY HIS OFFICE NEAR ST. PETER’S BEE HE SAID HE WANTED “TO SHOW THAT THIS IS NO SECRET,” THOUGH ’S SECRET ENOUGH THAT HE N’T BE NAMED—IS VOLVED WH THIS GROUP, AS PART OF AN UNOFFICIAL MISTRY ADDN TO HIS OFFICIAL DUTI. HE SAYS THAT HIS SUPERRS, CLUDG AT LEAST ONE VERY PROMENT VATIN OFFICIAL, HAVE LONG KNOWN HE IS GAY, AND HAVE EVEN PROMOTED HIM SCE LEARNG THAT FACT.YET GAYS THE VATIN, LIKE SPI TELLIGENCE SERVIC, HAB BOX WH BOX. THE PRIT WHO HELPS WH THE GROUP OF 50 RAISED HIS EYEBROWS WHEN I REPEATED TO HIM SOMETHG AN ARCHBISHOP HAD TOLD ME. “I KNOW A PRIT WHO MISTERS TO PEOPLE THE CURIA THAT SUATN,” THE ARCHBISHOP SAID, THOUGH “HE IS NOT ASSIGNED OFFICIALLY.”MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKLE H BEYONCE SHOW IN LABY EVE BATEYJENNA ORTEGA REILS AT JOHNNY DEPP DATG RUMORS BY EVE BATEYKYLE DCHANEL, THE ROTHSCHILD WHO WASN’TBY NATE FREEMAN“THAT IS NOT ME,” THE PRIT SAID, AMAZED. “I WONR WHO ULD BE.”DON’T ASK, DON’T TELLAS YOU WOULD EXPECT, THE PRIT I MET THE SNA LOOKS RATHER DIFFERENT WH VTMENTS ON. WHEN I WALKED TO CHURCH A FEW DAYS LATER, FOR SUNDAY-MORNG MASS, HE WAS THE CELEBRANT—EVEN THOUGH, WHEN WE MET, HE HAD SAID HE WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE TOWN. MAYBE HIS PLANS HAD CHANGED AGA.HE WAS PREACHG A HOY ON THE GOSPEL READG, THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARAN. THE PRIT TOLD THE NGREGATN THAT THIS STORY WAS A CHALLENGE. A CHALLENGE TO ACCEPT “RISK FAVOR OF PASSN.” A CHALLENGE TO “LOOK MORE EPLY AT ‘WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?’ ” A CHALLENGE TO BE GENERO, UNLIKE “THE RELIG, SPIRUAL PERSON WHO DID NOTHG TO HELP.” LISTENG TO THE WORDS, I ULD NOT HELP BUT WONR: WHERE, THAT PARABLE, DO THIS PRIT SEE HIMSELF?FROM THE DAY AFTER THE NCLAVE END—WHEN FRANCIS WENT BACK TO HIS HOTEL AND PERSONALLY CHECKED OUT, PAID HIS BILL, AND PICKED UP HIS SUSE—THE NEW POPE HAS SURPRISED PEOPLE WH HIS ACTNS. DURG HOLY WEEK, HE WENT TO A JUVENILE PRISON AND WASHED THE FEET OF MAT, CLUDG TWO GIRLS AND TWO MLIMS. ONE MORNG, HE REPORTEDLY MA A SANDWICH FOR THE SWISS GUARD WHO HAD STOOD SENTEL OUTSI HIS ROOM ALL NIGHT. HE VED 200 HOMELS PEOPLE FOR DNER THE VATIN GARNS.FRANCIS HAS ALSO SAID SOME THGS THAT, OM A POPE’S MOUTH, SEEM EXTRAORDARY SIMPLY BEE THEY ARE SO DOWN TO EARTH—LIKE HIS CHOICE TO END ONE HOY WH THE UNTRADNAL EXHORTATN “HAVE A GOOD LUNCH!” YET THE FIRST TIME THIS POPE’S WORDS, RATHER THAN HIS ACTNS, MA SIGNIFINT HEADL WAS NNECTN WH HIS MENTS ABOUT THE “GAY LOBBY.”AS NOTED, THE PHRASE FIRST GAED CURRENCY BEFORE FRANCIS ME ON THE SCENE, BUT RETURNED TO PUBLIC DISCSN JT AS HE GOT SER ABOUT WHAT MAY BE A HALLMARK OF HIS PAPACY: A CLEANUP OF VATIN RPTN. THE SPE OF HIS NCERN ABOUT ABE OF POWER SEEMS TOTAL. HE IS REFORMG EVERYTHG OM THE VATIN BANK’S BOOKKEEPG TO THE NTENTS OF THE PAPAL WARDROBE.FOR A LONG TIME, GAY PRITS HAVE MA FOR NVENIENT SPEGOATS AND HANDY PAWNS CHURCH POWER GAM. ALL OF THEM, WHETHER ACTIVELY OR PASSIVELY, HAVE HELPED CREATE THE ROL FOR THEMSELV, AND THEY N HARDLY IMAGE A DIFFERENT REALY—UNLS THEY WERE TO EMERGE OM THE CLOSET AND GET THROWN OUT OF THE PRITHOOD. ONE MONK TOLD ME, “A LOT OF WILL NOT NMN. BUT NOT SPEAK OUT. WE’RE A SYSTEM THAT NTROLS . THE LONGER YOU’RE , THE MORE NTROLS, THE MORE YOU ASSUME THE CLERIL POSN.” THEY KEEP HOPE SMALL, OR SNUFF ENTIRELY. THEY BELIEVE THAT NOTHG AND NO ONE ULD MAKE THE CHURCH SAFE FOR THEM. MIGHT THIS CHANGE? “NOT MY LIFETIME,” THEY ALL SAY.YET, BEFORE HE BEME FRANCIS, JE BERGOGL WAS A JU. AS *NATNAL CATHOLIC REPORTER’*S JOHN ALLEN, THE AN OF THE AMERIN VATIN-WATCHERS, TOLD ME, “THERE’S A KD OF CATHOLIC VERSN OF ‘DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL’ THAT THE JUS WOULD BE PARTICULARLY NOTED FOR. THERE ARE GUYS THE JU WORLD THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ARE GAY, BUT THEY DON’T GO AROUND MAKG A BIG AL OUT OF .” WHILE POPE BENEDICT’S VATIN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE SURE GAYS KNEW THEY WERE UNWELE THE PRITHOOD, THE JUS VELOPED A REPUTATN FOR TOLERATG AND EVEN PROTECTG THEIR GAY BRETHREN.IN THE LLEGIAL JU SPIR, FRANCIS APPOTED EIGHT RDALS TO SERVE AS HIS RE ADVISERS ON SIGNIFINT ISSU, AND THE G YEARS, THIS GROUP MAY HAVE AS MUCH FLUENCE ON THE SUATN OF GAYS THE PRITHOOD AS FRANCIS HIMSELF. WHEN I ASKED AN ARCHBISHOP HOW HE THKS THE RDALS’ NVERSATN ABOUT THEIR GAY BROTHERS WILL GO, HE ANSWERED WH REFERENCE NOT TO THE HOLY SPIR BUT TO THE GOD OF FORTUNE. “RIGHT NOW THE SURT THG I N SAY IS THAT THERE’S CHANGE THE AIR,” HE SAID. “IF YOU ULD SAY WHAT WILL HAPPEN, YOU ULD SAY WHO’D W THE LOTTERY.”THE NEXT TIME I HEARD MENTN OF A LOTTERY WAS A FEW DAYS LATER, AT DNER WH A GAY MONK WHO TOLD ME THAT HE HAD RECENTLY FALLEN LOVE FOR THE FIRST TIME, WH A MAN. “AM I A CLERIL HYPOCRE? I GUS ONE WAY I AM,” HE SAID, THE MIDDLE OF A LONG AND EMOTNAL NARRATIVE, BEFORE BRGG THE NVERSATN TO BEDROCK REALY. “BUT I’M OVER 60. I HAVE NOTHG FANCIALLY. I N’T LEAVE.” AND THEN HE SAID, “IF I WON THE POWERBALL LOTTO, I WOULD LEAVE.”NOTE: AN ALTERATN WAS MA THE PASSAGE ABOUT MAR POLI’S LA CONFSNE, REPUBLISHED AS IO, PRETE GAY, ORR TO GIVE A MORE ACCURATE SCRIPTN OF THE BOOK.MICHAEL JOSEPH GROSS
• REPORT: VATIN OWNS BUILDG THAT HO RDALS AND EUROPE’S BIGGT GAY BATHHOE
• EXPLORG GAY ROME – THE NOMADIC BOYS

THE 5 BEST ROME GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS ROME

LGBTQIA+ travelers visg Rome durg the summer months n immerse themselv the excement of Gay Village and nnect wh the lol LGBTQIA+ muny. When most people thk of Rome, they thk of the relig ctoms and tradns most closely related to the cy rather than Gay Rome travel.

There has been a wi variety of gay bars, events, and clubs poppg up and around the cy recently, some of which rival the bt gay scen Europe.

The first stop for many gay tourists headg to Rome will be Gay Street (otherwise known as Via di San Gvanni Laterano).

ROME GAY NIGHTCLUBS | AN LGBTQIA+ GUI TO ROME NIGHTLIFE

You’ll fd Gay Street directly oppose the Colossm, and although isn’t entirely geared towards the gay scene, as the name might suggt, there are numero popular gay bars along this street. The bar crowds here tend to spill out to the streets durg the ftivi, givg you the add benef of enjoyg a drk a gay-iendly environment wh the betiful backdrop of the Colossm to make the night even better. It is bt known for s archectural monuments and diverse artistic attractns but also hosts a uple of gay-iendly clubs, most notably Men2Men, a gay men-only bar.

Although most of the gay-iendly nightlife Rome tak place outsi of central Rome, if you’re lookg to cise the lol snas, you’ll want to hang around the historil center. Most of the n be found on Gay Street, but there are several other plac and around the cy where you n fd other queer-iendly spots. 101 pris self on beg a gay-iendly environment where social and playful e together and where you n exprs your te self and relate to others around you.

Ftta e Verdura isn’t specifilly gay, but is gay-iendly and draws a crowd of gay, straight, and transgenr party-goers.

THE BEST PROVCE OF ROME GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS PROVCE OF ROME

Jog thoands of gay, lbian, trans, and bisexual folk as they march through the historil cy of Rome durg Pri week is an unfettable experience. In Rome, tak place a large gay club space and featur thoands of LGBTQIA people dancg the night away and enjoyg each other’s pany.

Still we have to pot out that Rome is hardly a “gay” statn and the Italian pal is still highly nservative (and homophobic) and fluenced by the prence of the Catholic Church takg hold Vatin Cy. No, you don't e to Rome for the gay scene but sce you're g anyways, you might as well check out a few of the gay specific and gay iendly venu and attractns. And for those really lookg to explore a thrivg Italian gay scene, you're better off headg to Milan which has the most veloped gay scene the untry – though still small pared to other statns like London, Paris, Berl, Madrid or Barcelona.

GAY ROME ROME CY GUI

There is not really any gay neighborhood Rome but there is a small gay street (lerary lled “Gay Street” which opened 2007) jt bi the Colossm where you n fd a few gay bars, rtrants and hotels. 2nd Floor – First Floor and Send Floor are two boutique hotels near the Colossm and right the heart of Rome’s gay life loted on Gay Street.

Misterb&b is not a hotel or cha, but rather a bookg platform for rooms, apartments and hom and allows you to book om gay and gay-iendly hosts around the world.

IT'S THE GAY BAR ROME ON 'GAY STREET' - COMG OUT

Unrstandg the gay scene is much more easily done wh the help of a lol and home-sharg is one of the bt ways to meet someone livg the cy who knows how thgs work, where and when are the bt nights to go out, and what plac to eat at and which to avoid.

HANGARSEE ALL THGS TO DO{"@TYPE":"LOLBS","NAME":"HANGAR","URL":"\","ADDRS":{"@TYPE":"POSTALADDRS","STREETADDRS":"VIA SELCI, 69","ADDRSLOLY":"ROME","ADDRSCOUNTRY":"ITALY"},"AGGREGATERATG":{"@TYPE":"AGGREGATERATG","RATGVALUE":"3.5","REVIEWCOUNT":22},"IMAGE":"HTTPS:\U002F\\U002FMEDIA\U002FPHOTO-O\U002F04\U002F84\U002F9D\U002F26\","@NTEXT":"HTTP:\U002F\"}SEE ALL THGS TO DOHANGAR3.522 REVIEWSGAY BARSREAD MORETHIS LOTN WAS REPORTED PERMANENTLY CLOSEDVIS WEBSECALLWRE A REVIEWABOUTROME'S OLST GAY CLUB IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR: GREAT MIC AND A LIVELY ATMOSPHERE.READ MORESUGGT EDS TO IMPROVE WHAT WE SHOW.IMPROVE THIS LISTGFULL VIEWALL PHOTOS (2)TOP WAYS TO EXPERIENCE NEARBY ATTRACTNSLIKELY TO SELL OUT*COLOSSM ARENA TOUR SMALL GROUP12REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $84.00 PER ADULTROME'S ULTIMATE PARTY AKA THE SPANISH STEPS PUB CRAWL67REMEND92% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.SPRG BREAKOM $44.80 PER ADULTE-TICKET & AUDS: COLOSSM , ROMAN FOM, PALATE & ROME CY20MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALSOM $54.88 PER ADULTROOFTOP BAR OPERA SHOW: THE GREAT BETY OF ROME31REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.SPRG BREAKOM $188.16 PER ADULTTICKETS COLOSSM AND ROMAN FOM WH MULTIMEDIA VIO82MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALSOM $43.68 PER ADULTLIKELY TO SELL OUT*SMALL-GROUP TOUR OF ROMAN FOM, PALATE HILL & CIRC MAXIM18REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.ARCHAEOLOGY TOURSOM $66.08 PER ADULT (PRICE VARI BY GROUP SIZE)3 DAYS PRIVATE ROME TOUR12REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $1,792.05 PER ADULT (PRICE VARI BY GROUP SIZE)COLOSSM SKIP THE LE GROUP TOUR WH PALATE AND FOM 30REMEND96% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $106.40 PER ADULTTRASTEVERE TOUR88REMEND94% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $16.80 PER ADULTGHOST & LEGENDS ROME TOUR4GHOST TOURSOM $32.48 PER ADULTROME NIGHT SEGWAY TOUR36REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $77.28 PER ADULTPRIVATE TRANSFER OM ROME TO POSANO WH STOP A POMPEII9TRANSPORTATN SERVICOM $436.81 PER ADULT (PRICE VARI BY GROUP SIZE)EXPRS VATIN MMS AND SISTE CHAPEL TOUR3HISTORIL TOURSOM $61.59 PER ADULTCASTEL GANDOLFO KAYAK TOUR WH WE AND FOOD TASTG25REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.SPRG BREAKOM $72.80 PER ADULTSKIP THE LE & TOUR: VATIN MMS, SISTE CHAPEL & RAPHAEL ROOMS52HISTORIL TOURSOM $68.32 PER ADULTTHE AREA NEIGHBORHOOD: CENTROREAD MOREHOW TO GET THERECAVOUR • 3 M WALKCOLOSSEO • 7 M WALKFULL VIEWBT NEARBYRTRANTS7,261 WH 3 MIZ'S STREET FOOD7780.2 MI$ • QUICK B • ITALIAN • MEDERRANEANGELATERIA S.M.MAGGRE8820.2 MI$ • DSERT • GLUTEN FREE OPTNST & C BURGER LAB3280.2 MI$ • QUICK B • AMERIN • VEGETARIAN FRIENDLYFUORORMA1,2190.3 MI$ • QUICK B • HEALTHY • STREET FOODGELATERIA LL’ANGELETTO7840.2 MI$ • DSERT • ITALIAN • UKRAIANTRITE PIZZA1,0670.2 MI$ • ITALIAN • PIZZA • FAST FOODCUO & CAMICIA9890.1 MI$$ - $$$ • ITALIAN • MEDERRANEAN • EUROPEANMI'NDUJO - MONTI6620.3 MI$$ - $$$ • ITALIAN • FAST FOOD • HEALTHYRISTORANTE DOGMA108432 FTCENTRAL-ITALIANSAPORI E DELIZIE1,9700.1 MI$ • ITALIAN • PIZZA • MEDERRANEANSEE ALLATTRACTNS2,241 WH 6 CHIA DI SANTA LUCIA SELCI293 FTHISTORIC S • CHURCH & CATHEDRALSPALAZZO BRANCC1540.1 MIPOTS OF INTERT & LANDMARKS • ARCHECTURAL BUILDGSBASILI DI SANTA MARIA MAGGRE16,5140.2 MIHISTORIC S • POTS OF INTERT & LANDMARKSRNE MONTI4180.2 MINEIGHBORHOODS • POTS OF INTERT & LANDMARKSBASILI DI SANTA PRASSE1,2350.2 MICHURCH & CATHEDRALSIL MEO DELLE ILLNI33432 FTSPECIALY MMS • ART MMSCAPUT MUNDI SHOPPG MALL3432 FTSHOPPG MALLSTORRE I CAPOCCI13267 FTOBSERVATN DECKS & TOWERSPRIMOSALE432 FTFARMERS MARKETSTOMBA DEI NASONI1432 FTHISTORIC S • MONUMENTS & STATUSEE ALLCONTRIBUTEWRE A REVIEWUPLOAD A PHOTOREVIEWSQ&AFILTERSENGLISHMOST RECENTDETAILED REVIEWS: REVIEWS ORR RMED BY SCRIPTIVENS OF ER-INTIFIED THEM SUCH AS CLEANLS, ATMOSPHERE, GENERAL TIPS AND LOTN RMATN.3.522 REVIEWSEXCELLENT6VERY GOOD6AVERAGE5POOR0TERRIBLE5MR. FABULONEW YORK CY, NY2,644 NTRIBUTNS7MISS THIS PLACEJAN 2017 • SOLOI VIS ROME TWICE A YEAR AND THIS WAS MY BT BAR,VERY IENDLY BARTENR AND PEOPLE,I MET MANY GUYS HERE,SAD THAT THIS IS PERMANENTLY OTHER BAR LIKE THIS ROME.I WILL MISS THIS PLACE WHEN I GO TO MONTI DISTRICT ON MY NEXT TRIP.READ MOREWRTEN JANUARY 4, 2017THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.DAVE TMANCHTER, UK62 NTRIBUTNS11CLOSED APR 2016AFTER SEARCHG FOR AN HR DOWN DARK STREETS. WE FAL FOUND CLOSED. REALLY WANTED TO FD ROME'S OLST GAY BAR. SHAME WAS SHUT. LOOKED PERMANENT READ MOREWRTEN APRIL 28, 2016THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.D B WATLANTA, GA3 NTRIBUTNS3IF YOU SEEKG AN OLR TYPE FEEL BAR.JUL 2015WAS A TYPIL OLR BAR. STAFF WERE NICE AND IENDLY. CROWD SEEMED TO BE MORE LOL TYP. OVERALL, WAS A NICE STOP FOR A DRK TO CHECK OUT THE OLST GAY BAR ROME.READ MOREWRTEN JULY 27, 2015THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.MRCLEANJRINDIANAPOLIS, IN4 NTRIBUTNS1CISY AGG BARTHIS BAR IS A CLASSIC NTENTAL GAY BAR. DARK OLD DGY AND CISY. LOOKED THE SAME OM THE LAST VIS I MA 2011. SATURDAY NIGHT CROWD IS LATE AND MORATELY BY. NOTHG EXCEPTNAL.READ MOREWRTEN JUNE 15, 2014THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.RICLONDON89LONDON, UK25 NTRIBUTNS6GREAT IENDLY/OLD-FASHNED BARMAR 2014 • FRIENDSMY IENDS AND I REALLY ENJOYED THE ATMOSPHERE THE HANGAR, THE OLST GAY BAR ROME. WE WERE GREETED BY A VERY IENDLY AMERIN GENTLEMAN AT THE DOOR. THE GUYS AT THE AT-CHECK AND BEHD THE BAR WERE ALSO VERY PLEASANT. THE STRIPPER SHOW WAS ENJOYABLE. IF YOU LIKE NON-MP MEN AND A NO-FS, TRADNAL STYLE GAY BAR, THEN VIS THE HANGAR. IF LIKE YOU ARE AGEIST AND LOOKG FOR A LOUD, BRIGHT, MP, MORN STYLE DANCE BAR THEN PERHAPS THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.READ MOREWRTEN MARCH 7, 2014THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN ANPHILEONTHEMOVELOT-ET-GARONNE, FRANCE1,195 NTRIBUTNS3ABSOLUTELY APPALLGSEP 2013THIS IS POSSIBLY THE WORST GAY VENUE I HAVE EVER VISED. ONE HAS TO PAY AND REGISTER TO GET BUT THEN YOU'RE NONTED WH A PRE-STONEWALL DUMP. THE PLACE IS FILTHY, THE MIC DREADFUL AND THE AMBIENCE LACKG. THE WORST THG ARE THE TOILETS. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY REVOLTG. PLEASE DON'T GO TO THIS PLACE. READ MOREWRTEN SEPTEMBER 4, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.SIMET123LAPELLE-BIRON, FRANCE128 NTRIBUTNS5WORST GAY BAR I HAVE BEEN TOOSEP 2013THIS PLACE IS AWFUL . THERE IS A 4 RO ENTRANCE FEE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO A SMALL DARK SQUALID CLUB WHICH IS SO OUT OF DATE WH THE GAY SCENE THE DAYS . THE TOILETS ARE DARK AND DIRTY AND ARE THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN THIS IS NOT A PLACE TO VIS EX NEEDS A TOTAL CLEAN AND RE PAT ALL I N SAY IS HORRIBLE , GAY GUYS ARE WORTH MORE THAN THIS CLUB DON'T GO .READ MOREWRTEN SEPTEMBER 4, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.BCE B3 NTRIBUTNS3ONLY OPEN AT NIGHTITS TOO BAD THE HANGAR ISN'T OPEN THE DAYTIME. I WAS OUT WALKG AND WANTED A LD DRK WH A HOT MAN AND NOTHG WAS OPEN FOR GAY PEOPLE TO HANG OUT WH OTHER GAY PEOPLE.READ MOREWRTEN AUGT 21, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.LISAWEB116 NTRIBUTNS2FRIENDLY PLACE TO CHILL AFTER A LONG DAY OF SEEG THE SIGHTS!JUL 2013 • FRIENDSFRIENDLY STAFF, WELL MA DRKS AND GREAT PLACE JT TO CHILL OUT AT THE END OF THE DAY!I LIKED THEIR SYSTEM OF HOW THE PRICE OF THE DRKS ARE TERMED! YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT!READ MOREWRTEN JULY 30, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.J183DUBL, IRELAND478 NTRIBUTNS2WEIRD EXPERIENCEI WAS NOT EXPECTG TO WATCH PORN A BAR! FULL OF OLD PEOPLE WHICH WAS VERY UNNFORTABLE! ITS LOTN WAS VERY HARD TO FD EVEN THOUGH WE WALKED PAST A FEW TIM. ITS A BIG BLACK DOOR WHICH LOOKS LIKE A NORMAL HOE. STAFF ARE OLD AND THEY DONT HAVE A GREAT CHOICE OF DRKS. THEY SEEMED TO BE SELLG MORE NDOMS THAN DRKS. AS FOR THE 'DARK ROOM' WAS A CURTA WH A DIRTY OLD MAN STANDG BEHD OUR WAS HIS 50'S, THERE WASNT EVEN A LIGHT TO SEE THERE. WEIRD!!!READ MOREWRTEN MARCH 20, 2013THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.12SHOWG RULTS 1-10 OF 15JURI P2 NTRIBUTNSLA DOMENI è APERTO ??ADD A REPLYVIEW ALLALSO POPULAR WH TRAVELERSSEE ALL2023THE BASEMENT - PUB. COCKTAIL BAR. EVENTS.549BARS & CLUBSPRATIVOROMA WE STUD & SOCIAL CLUB615WE TOURS & TASTGS • WE BARSMONTI2023LA BOTTICELLA435BARS & CLUBSNAVONA / PANTHEON / CAMPO ’ FRI2023RIMSA ROSCLI984COOKG CLASS • WE BARSNAVONA / PANTHEON / CAMPO ’ FRIEATWH72BAR, CLUB & PUB TOURS • BEER TASTGS & TOURSPIAZZA VENEZIA / ANCIENT CYROME'S ULTIMATE PARTY254BARS & CLUBSCAMPO MARZCOLOSSM BAR HOP296BAR, CLUB & PUB TOURS • NIGHT TOURSMONTI2023ICE CLUB976BARS & CLUBSMONTITHE BRISH CORNER264BARS & CLUBSPRENTO LABINO2023CARGO302BARS & CLUBSPRENTO LABINOIS THIS YOUR TRIPADVISOR LISTG?OWN OR MANAGE THIS PROPERTY? CLAIM YOUR LISTG FOR EE TO RPOND TO REVIEWS, UPDATE YOUR PROFILE AND MUCH MORE.CLAIM YOUR LISTGHANGAR (ROME) - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO (WH PHOTOS)

Vatin Mms Untold (Gay) History Tour – Don’t eak out…but y, there is actually a Gay Tour of the Vatin, or the Vatin Mms, that is – even the New York Tim recently wrote a story about . Quiiky Travel recently created this ground-breakg tour givg you all the gay (and hidn) sights to the gay culture of the Vatin and the famo artists whose patgs fill s walls. The Untold History Tours are spired to give the LGBT muny a view of gay and lbian personali om the past, stori part of our own history, that make more aware that we’re not the first on and surely will not be the last on.

Rabow Tour: the Secret Gay History of Rome – Take a ep dive to Rome's secret gay history durg this LGBT-iendly tour wh gui. Stops clu the spot where Juli Caar was killed, the Imperial Fom, the Basili of Santa Maria, Opium Hill, and Rome's Gay street where you'll stop at a famo gay pub. Roman street food wh lol gay-iendly gui – Few people know that Roman cuise is much more than Carbonara or Amatriciana.

COMPANY ROMAROMEMENUHOTELS · LUXURYHOTELS · MID-RANGE + BUDGETGUTHOE / B&BON TODAYBARSDANCE CLUBSCISE CLUBSSNASSHOPSSERVICTOURSCY GUIGAY MAPCOMPANY ROMA

Bis the few bars loted on “Gay Street” also known as Via di San Gvanni Laterano, there is really no gayborhood Rome. Ftta e Verdura – This is an afterhours gay dance party that starts at 4:30am loted a place lled Bunker Club – a large cisg club. ” This small stretch of gay venu is jt a stone’s throw away om the Colsm and ’s a good place to start if you want to get a feel for the gay scene Rome.

ROME GAY DISTRICT

Come ogni buona tradizne gay, le proprietarie, attente ai mbiamenti di tennza e stylg, ocsne i 15 anni (giugno 2016) dall’apertura, hanno ciso di ofire alla numerosa clientela, anra una volta un lole nuovo ed aguato alle nuove igenze. Attentive to trends the gay muny, the owners aga cid to renovate the bar 2016 on the ocsn of the 15 year anniversary of s openg, offerg s clientele an updated renovatn to reflect morn stylg.

GAY VILLAGE

Edmunds, Uned KgdomReviewed May 30, 2015 via mobile Open till 2, this is THE gay bar of Rome, overlookg the Colossm. Read our transparency report to learn 2014 • FriendsMy iends and I really enjoyed the atmosphere the Hangar, the olst gay bar Rome.

There is a 4 ro entrance fee that allows you to a small dark squalid club which is so out of date wh the gay scene the days. The toilets are dark and dirty and are the worst I have ever seen this is not a place to vis ex needs a total clean and re pat all I n say is horrible, gay guys are worth more than this club don't go.

THE VATIN’S SECRET LIFEDPE HEADL ABOUT A POWERFUL “GAY LOBBY” WH THE VATIN, AND A NEW POPE PROMISG REFORM, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S GAY RDALS, MONKS, AND OTHER CLERGY HAB A HIDN HERWORLD. IN ROME, THE THOR LEARNS HOW THEY NAVIGATE THE DANGERO PARADOX OF THEIR LIV.BY MICHAEL JOSEPH GROSSNOVEMBER 15, 2013SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVENAKED BUT FOR THE TOWEL AROUND HIS WAIST, A MAN OF A CERTA AGE SAT BY HIMSELF, BENT SLIGHTLY FORWARD AS IF PRAYG, A RNER OF THE SNA AT A GYM CENTRAL ROME. I HAD NOT MET THIS MAN BEFORE, BUT AS I ENTERED THE SNA, I THOUGHT I REGNIZED HIM OM PHOTOGRAPHS. HE LOOKED LIKE A PRIT WH WHOM I’D RRPOND AFTER MUTUAL IENDS PUT TOUCH, A MAN I HAD WANTED TO NSULT ABOUT GAY CLERICS THE VATIN CURIA. MY IENDS TOLD ME THAT THIS PRIT WAS GAY, POLILLY SAVVY, AND WELL NNECTED TO THE GAY CHURCH HIERARCHY ROME.BUT THIS ULDN’T BE THAT PRIT. HE HAD TOLD ME THAT HE’D BE AWAY AND ULDN’T MEET. YET AS I LOOKED AT THE MAN MORE CLOSELY, I SAW THAT WAS FELY HIM. WHEN WE WERE ALONE, I SPOKE HIS NAME, TELLG HIM ME. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE OUT OF THE UNTRY,” I SAID. “HOW LUCKY FOR ME: YOU’RE HERE!” STARTLED, THE PRIT TALKED FAST. Y, HIS PLANS HAD CHANGED, HE SAID, BUT HE WAS LEAVG AGA THE NEXT DAY AND WOULD RETURN ONLY AFTER I WAS GONE.DURG THE PREV FEW DAYS, I HAD HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS MAN. I HAD HEARD THAT HE IS A GOSSIP, A SOCIAL OPERATOR WHOSE LENDAR IS A BLUR OF DRKS AND DNERS WH RDALS AND ARCHBISHOPS, PRCIPSAS AND PERSONAL TRAERS. SUPPOSEDLY, HE LOV TO DISH MALE LLEAGU WH MPY FEMALE NICKNAM. BUT I WOULD NEVER HAVE THE EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND. THE PRIT WAS EMBARRASSED: TO HAVE BEEN CHANCED UPON AT THIS PLACE; TO HAVE HAD HIS SMALL EVASNS REVEALED. THE ENUNTER WAS AWKWARD. NO, HE DID NOT WISH TO DISCS THE SUBJECT I WAS TERTED . NO, HE DID NOT THK THE SUBJECT WORTHWHILE. THE THGS HE MA CLEAR. WE LEFT THE SNA AND, AFTER FURTHER NVERSATN, CIVIL BUT STILTED, WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS.I ULD UNRSTAND HIS DISFORT. BUT ROME THE DAYS THE TOPIC OF GAY PRITS THE UPPER REACH OF THE HOLY SEE IS HARD TO AVOID. IN FEBARY OF THIS YEAR, NOT LONG BEFORE THE COLLEGE OF CARDALS GATHERED THE SISTE CHAPEL FOR THE NCLAVE TO CHOOSE THE 266TH POPE, THE LARGT ITALIAN DAILY NEWSPAPER, LA REPUBBLI, REPORTED THAT A “GAY LOBBY”—A MORE OR LS UNIFIED BAL OF HOMOSEXUAL POWER BROKERS—MIGHT BE OPERATG SI THE VATIN. ACRDG TO THE NEWSPAPER, THE POSSIBLE EXISTENCE OF THIS GAY LOBBY WAS AMONG THE MANY SECRETS SCRIBED A TWO-VOLUME, 300-PAGE REPORT BOUND RED AND PRENTED TO POPE BENEDICT XVI BY THREE RDALS HE HAD APPOTED TO VTIGATE THE AFFAIR KNOWN AS “VATILEAKS.” THAT SNDAL, WHICH RAISED H SPICNS OF ENMIC RPTN WH THE CURIA, HAD BROKEN THE PREV YEAR AFTER PAOLO GABRIELE, THE PAPAL BUTLER, MA OFF WH SOME OF BENEDICT’S PRIVATE PAPERS AND LEAKED THEM TO THE PRS.THE TERNAL VATILEAKS REPORT, ACRDG TO LA REPUBBLI, DITED THAT GAY CLERICS THE VATIN WERE BEG BLACKMAILED. THE REPORT WAS ALSO SAID TO DOCUMENT THE ALLEGED GAY LOBBY’S SOCIAL STCTURE AND CTOMS. YET TAILS NCERNG GAY PRITS’ GATHERGS ADD UP TO OLD NEWS: THE TAL HAD BEEN TOLD ARTICL PREVLY PUBLISHED BY LA REPUBBLI SELF. SENSATNALLY, THE NEWSPAPER SUGGTED THAT BENEDICT’S NCERN ABOUT THE ALLEGED GAY LOBBY WAS ONE REASON HE HAD SUDNLY RIGNED THE PAPACY.MONTHS LATER, ANOTHER LEAK OF NFINTIAL RMATN BROUGHT THE SUBJECT OF A GAY LOBBY BACK TO THE NEWS. SOMEONE TOOK NOT DURG WHAT WAS MEANT TO BE A PRIVATE MEETG BETWEEN LAT-AMERIN CHURCH LEARS AND THE NEW POPE, THE FORMER RDAL JE BERGOGL, ARCHBISHOP OF BUENOS AIR, NOW KNOWN AS FRANCIS. IN JUNE, THOSE NOT WERE PUBLISHED ON A PROGRSIVE CATHOLIC WEB SE. FRANCIS WAS QUOTED AS SAYG, “THE ‘GAY LOBBY’ IS MENTNED, AND IS TE, IS THERE … WE NEED TO SEE WHAT WE N DO.”A CLOSET WH NO DOORGAY LOBBY? IT PENDS ON WHAT YOU MEAN. THE TERM ULD REFER TO A SHADOWY GROUP LIKE THE ILLUMATI, WHOSE MEMBERS QUIETLY EXERCISE SUPREME POWER. THIS IS THE SORT OF IA THAT LIGHTS UP THE TIL HATS OF NSPIRACY THEORISTS, AND DON’T PTURE THE SLOW, FDAL, EFFICIENT WORKGS OF THE VATIN. “GAY LOBBY” IS REALLY SHORTHAND FOR SOMETHG ELSE. AT THE VATIN, A SIGNIFINT NUMBER OF GAY PRELAT AND OTHER GAY CLERICS ARE POSNS OF GREAT THORY. THEY MAY NOT ACT AS A LLECTIVE BUT ARE AWARE OF ONE ANOTHER’S EXISTENCE. AND THEY HAB A SECRETIVE HERWORLD, BEE HOMOSEXUALY IS OFFICIALLY NMNED. THOUGH THE NUMBER OF GAY PRITS GENERAL, AND SPECIFILLY AMONG THE CURIA ROME, IS UNKNOWN, THE PROPORTN IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE GENERAL POPULATN. BETWEEN 20 AND 60 PERCENT OF ALL CATHOLIC PRITS ARE GAY, ACRDG TO ONE TIMATE CED BY DONALD B. COZZENS HIS WELL-REGARD THE CHANGG FACE OF THE PRITHOOD. FOR GAY CLERICS AT THE VATIN, ONE FUNDAMENTAL NDN OF THEIR POWER, AND OF THEIR PRITHOOD, IS SILENCE, AT LEAST PUBLIC, ABOUT WHO THEY REALLY ARE.CLERICS HAB THIS SILENCE A VARIETY OF WAYS. A FEW KEEP THEIR SEXUALY ENTIRELY PRIVATE AND ADHERE TO THE VOW OF CELIBACY. MANY OTHERS QUIETLY LET THEMSELV BE KNOWN AS GAY TO A LIMED GREE, TO SOME LLEAGU, OR TO SOME LAYPEOPLE, OR BOTH; SOMETIM THEY REMA CELIBATE AND SOMETIM THEY DO NOT. A THIRD WAY, PERHAPS THE LEAST MON BUT CERTALY THE MOST VISIBLE, VOLV LIVG A DOUBLE LIFE. OCSNALLY SUCH CLERICS ARE UNMASKED, UALLY BY STORI THE ITALIAN PRS. IN 2010, FOR THE BETTER PART OF A MONTH, ONE STRAIGHT JOURNALIST PRETEND TO BE THE BOYIEND OF A GAY MAN WHO ACTED AS A “HONEYPOT” AND ENTRAPPED ACTUAL GAY PRITS VAR SEXUAL SUATNS. (THE RDAL VIR OF ROME WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF VTIGATG. THE PRITS’ FAT ARE UNKNOWN.)THERE ARE AT LEAST A FEW GAY RDALS, CLUDG ONE WHOSE LONG-TERM PARTNER IS A WELL-KNOWN MISTER A PROTTANT NOMATN. THERE IS THE NOTOR MONSIGNOR NICKNAMED “JSI,” WHO LIK TO VIS A PONTIFIL UNIVERSY AND PASS OUT HIS BS RD TO 25-YEAR-OLD NOVIC. (AMONG THE MONSIGNOR’S PICKUP L: “DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE BED OF JOHN XXIII?”) THERE’S THE SUPPOSEDLY STRAIGHT MAN WHO HAS A SECRET LIFE AS A GAY PROSTUTE ROME AND POSTS PHOTOGRAPHS ONLE OF THE NERMOST RRIDORS OF THE VATIN. WHETHER HE RECEIVED THIS PRIVILEGED ACCS OM SOME IEND OR FAY MEMBER, OR OM A CLIENT, IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY; TO SEE A KNOWN RENT BOY BLACK LEATHER ON A PRIVATE VATIN BALNY DO RAISE AN EYEBROW.THE VATIN HOLDS SECRETS SO TIGHTLY THAT N MAKE FORT MEA LOOK LIKE A SLOPPY DNK. YET DOZENS OF TERVIEWS WH CURRENT AND FORMER GAY PRITS, GAY MONKS, VETERAN VATIN JOURNALISTS, ITALIAN ARISTOCRATS, AND GAY MEN AT ROMAN GYMS, BARS, NIGHTCLUBS, SEX CLUBS, AND RTRANTS SUGGT THAT, RIVETG AS THE MORE GRAPHIC STORI ARE, THEY NVEY A LIMED PART OF THE REALY OF GAY CLERIL LIFE ROME. TO BE GAY THE VATIN IS NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCS, MARK OF BELONGG, OR SHORTCUT TO EROTIC TRIGUE. MOST BASILLY IS A SENTENCE OF ISOLATN. GAYS THE VATIN ARE CREATUR OF A CUTTHROAT BURECRACY WHOSE DOGMATIC WORLDVIEW NI OR NIGRAT THEIR OWN EXISTENCE. THEY LIVE A CLOSET THAT HAS NO DOOR. AMONG RECENT POP, BENEDICT MA THE MOST NCERTED EFFORT TO SHARPEN CHURCH DOCTRE ON HOMOSEXUALY, WHICH HE ONCE LLED “A MORE OR LS STRONG TENNCY ORRED TOWARD AN TRSIC MORAL EVIL.” HE TRIED TO CULL GAYS OM CLERIL RANKS, MOST NOTABLY 2005, WHEN MEN WH KNOWN “EP-SEATED HOMOSEXUAL TENNCI” WERE PROHIBED OM BEG ORDAED, EVEN IF THEY WERE CELIBATE.DENUNCIATN AND EXPOSURE HAVE MA GAY PRITS FIGUR OF FASCATN—THOUGH LS AS PEOPLE THAN AS SYMBOLS—PECIALLY TO THE SECULAR FAR LEFT AND THE RELIG FAR RIGHT. BOTH SIS FD THE CLERICS TO BE POLILLY EFUL. THE LEFT THEM TO LEVEL CHARG OF HYPOCRISY. THE RIGHT SE THEM AS A STA NEED OF REMOVAL. THEY ALL GOT A SHOCK LATE LAST JULY WHEN FRANCIS MA HIS FIRST DIRECT PUBLIC STATEMENT ABOUT GAY CLERICS SCE BEG POPE.DURG AN IMPROMPTU PRS NFERENCE ABOARD THE PAPAL JET, EN ROUTE OM R JANEIRO TO ROME AFTER HIS FIRST OVERSEAS TRIP, FRANCIS WAS ASKED ABOUT THE SO-LLED GAY LOBBY. HIS RPONSE, LIVERED WH SUAL HUMOR AND PUNCTUATED BY SHGS AND S, WAS AS FOLLOWS: “SO MUCH HAS BEEN WRTEN ABOUT THE GAY LOBBY. I STILL HAVEN’T N TO ANYONE THE VATIN WHO HAS SHOWN ME AN INTY RD WH ‘GAY’ ON .” HE PANTOMIMED HOLDG UP SUCH A RD HIS LEFT HAND AND THEN WENT ON: “WHEN YOU FD YOURSELF WH A PERSON LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN THE FACT OF A PERSON BEG GAY AND THE FACT OF SOMEBODY FORMG A LOBBY. . . . IF A PERSON IS GAY AND IS SEARCHG FOR THE LORD AND HAS GOODWILL, WHO AM I TO JUDGE HIM?”MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKLE H BEYONCE SHOW IN LABY EVE BATEYJENNA ORTEGA REILS AT JOHNNY DEPP DATG RUMORS BY EVE BATEYKYLE DCHANEL, THE ROTHSCHILD WHO WASN’TBY NATE FREEMANHE SPOKE THE WORDS WH A PALPABLE WARMTH, UNLIKE THE EMBATTLED, WARY TONE THAT OTHER POP HAVE ADOPTED. THIS MAY WELL HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME HISTORY THAT A POPE HAS PUBLICLY UTTERED THE TERM “GAY”—THE WORD THAT MOST MEN WHO FEEL ROMANTIC LOVE FOR OTHER MEN E TO SCRIBE THEMSELV—STEAD OF THE PATHOLOGIZG 19TH-CENTURY MEDIL TERM “HOMOSEXUAL.” THEN, A LENGTHY TERVIEW WH A JU JOURNAL, THE POPE WENT FURTHER, STATG THAT THE CHURCH’S MISTRY SHOULD NOT BE “OBSSED” WH A FEW DIVISIVE MORAL ISSU SUCH AS ABORTN AND GAY MARRIAGE. “WHEN GOD LOOKS AT A GAY PERSON, DO HE ENDORSE THE EXISTENCE OF THIS PERSON WH LOVE, OR REJECT AND NMN THIS PERSON?” THE POPE ASKED RHETORILLY. “WE MT ALWAYS NSIR THE PERSON.”EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELFTAL OF GAYS THE VATIN HAVE BEEN TOLD FOR MORE THAN A THOAND YEARS. POPE JOHN XII, WHO REIGNED OM 955 TO 964, WAS ACCED OF HAVG SEX WH MEN AND BOYS AND TURNG THE PAPAL PALACE “TO A WHOREHOE.” WHILE TRYG TO PERSUA A BBLER’S APPRENTICE TO HAVE SEX WH HIM, POPE BONIFACE VIII, WHO REIGNED OM 1294 TO 1303, WAS SAID TO HAVE ASSURED THE BOY THAT TWO MEN HAVG SEX WAS “NO MORE A S THAN BBG YOUR HANDS TOGETHER.” AFTER PL II, WHO REIGNED OM 1464 TO 1471, DIED OF A HEART ATTACK—WHILE FLAGRANTE LICTO WH A PAGE, ACRDG TO ONE MOR—HE WAS SUCCEED BY SIXT IV, WHO KEPT A NEPHEW AS HIS LOVER (AND MA THE NEPHEW A RDAL AT AGE 17). SOME SUCH STORI ARE BETTER SUBSTANTIATED THAN OTHERS. EVEN WHILE THEIR RELIABILY IS QUTNABLE, THEY MONSTRATE THAT PLAYG THE GAY RD (EVEN IF YOU YOURSELF ARE GAY) IS AN ANCIENT CURIAL TACTIC. “THERE ARE CLOSETED GAY PRITS WHO ARE VIPERS,” OBSERV THE THEOLOGIAN MARK D. JORDAN, THE THOR OF THE SILENCE OF SODOM: HOMOSEXUALY MORN CATHOLICISM. “THEY ARE REALLY POISONO PEOPLE, AND THEY WORK OUT THEIR OWN NER MONOLOGY BY GETTG TO POSNS POWER AND EXERCISG ” AGAST OTHER GAY MEN, WOMEN, AND ANYONE WHOM THEY PERCEIVE TO BE A THREAT. “ALONGSI THAT ARE SUFFERG PRITS WHO SEEM SCERE ALL THE WAY DOWN, WHO ARE TRYG TO BE FAHFUL TO GOD, AND ALSO TO TAKE RE OF PEOPLE AND CHANGE THE STUTN. THEY ARE THE ON WHO ARE ALWAYS FOTTEN, AND READ OUT OF THE STORY OM BOTH SIS.”THE CATHOLIC PRITHOOD’S NTEMPORARY GAY CULTURAL MEMORY BEGS THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST CENTURY. WHEN PL VI ASSUMED THE THRONE, 1963, BY ONE ACUNT HE TOOK HIS PAPAL NAME NOT OM ANY PRECSOR BUT OM A FORMER LOVER, A FILM ACTOR. THAT AT LEAST WAS THE NTENTN OF THE PROVOTIVE GAY FRENCH WRER ROGER PEYREFTE, WHOSE 1976 ALLEGATNS ABOUT PL VI ED SUCH A STIR THAT PL TOOK TO THE BALNY OF ST. PETER’S TO NOUNCE THE “HORRIBLE AND SLANRO” ACCATNS. PL LOOKED A LGHGSTOCK, AND THE CURIA LEARNED A LSON: BETTER TO IGNORE SUCH CHARG THAN TO AMPLIFY THEM BY NIAL.MEANWHILE, SOME GAY CLERICS WERE OUTGROWG THE “PARTICULAR IENDSHIPS” THAT HAD LONG BEEN PART OF MONASTIC LIFE AND JOG THE SEXUAL REVOLUTN. BY THE 1970S, THE CENTER OF GAY LIFE ROME WAS A CISG AREA LLED MONTE CAPRO, ON THE CAPOLE HILL. AT A SMALL PARTY OF GAY MONKS AND THEIR IENDS ROME LAST SUMMER, NVERSATN TURNED TO RELLECTNS OF THAT PLACE. “IT WAS LIKE S OWN LTLE CY,” ONE MONK REMEMBERED, “WH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE—EVERYONE OM SEMARIANS TO BISHOPS—AND THEN THERE WERE, NVENIENTLY, BH OFF TO THE SI.” THE FELLOW FEELG AT MONTE CAPRO WAS PROMISED BY THE AIR OF SECRECY AROUND THE PLACE. THE AREA WAS A TARGET FOR MUGGERS AND THIEV, WHO FIGURED RIGHTLY THAT CLERICS WOULD MAKE IAL VICTIMS BEE THEY HAD MUCH TO LOSE BY THE PUBLIC ACT OF PRSG CHARG. ONE GAY FORMER SEMARIAN RELLED A NIGHT WHEN THREE MEN BEAT HIM UP AND STOLE HIS WALLET WHILE NUMERO MEN THE CROWD PARK STOOD BY. LEFT BLOODIED BY THE THIEV, THE SEMARIAN HOLLERED AT THE BYSTANRS, “THERE’S THREE OF THEM AND 300 OF !”HE TOLD ME THIS STORY, WH S ECHO OF THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARAN— WHICH A TRAVELER IS ROBBED, BEATEN, AND LEFT BY THE SI OF THE ROAD, AND P MEN DO NOTHG TO HELP HIM—TO ILLTRATE THE EVERY-MAN-FOR-HIMSELF DYNAMIC OF ROME’S GAY CLERIL CULTURE. GAY CLERICS OFTEN FAIL TO HELP ONE ANOTHER, HE SAYS, FOR THE SAME REASON THAT NO ONE TRIED TO HELP HIM THE NIGHT THAT HE WAS ROBBED: SOLIDARY ENTAILS THE RISK OF BEG OUTED.“LA MALETTA”SELF-CENTEREDNS N BREED A SENSE OF ENTLEMENT. “A CERTA PART OF THE CLERGY FEELS THAT NO ONE WILL RE WHAT THEY DO IF THEY ARE DISCREET,” SAYS MAR POLI, A PROMENT ITALIAN JOURNALIST AND LONGTIME VATIN RRPONNT, AND THE THOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS ABOUT THE PAPACY AND THE CHURCH. IN 2000, POLI PUBLISHED A BOOK-LENGTH TERVIEW WH AN ANONYMO GAY PRIT, ENTLED LA CONFSNE, REPUBLISHED 2006 AS IO, PRETE GAY (I, GAY PRIT). “RUMORS ARE O.K., BUT NOT SNDAL,” POLI OBSERV.THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SNDAL, THOUGH. IN 2007, MONSIGNOR TOMMASO STENI MET A YOUNG MAN AN ONLE CHAT ROOM AND VED HIM TO HIS VATIN OFFICE, WHERE THEIR NVERSATN— WHICH STENI NIED THAT GAY SEX WAS A S, TOUCHED THE MAN’S LEG, AND SAID, “YOU’RE SO HOT”—WAS SECRETLY VIOTAPED AND THEN BROADST ON ITALIAN TELEVISN. (STENI TRIED TO PERSUA ITALIAN NEWSPAPERS THAT HE’D JT BEEN PLAYG ALONG ORR “TO STUDY HOW PRITS ARE ENSNARED” TO GAY SEX AS PART OF “A DIABOLIL PLAN BY GROUPS OF SATANISTS.” HE WAS SPEND OM HIS VATIN POSN.) IN 2006 A PRIT THE VATIN’S SECRETARIAT OF STATE JURED POLICE OFFICERS AND SMASHED TO POLICE RS DURG A HIGH-SPEED CHASE THROUGH A DISTRICT ROME KNOWN FOR TRANSSEXUALS AND PROSTUT. (THE PRIT WAS ACQUTED ON ALL CHARG AFTER CLAIMG THAT HE FLED BEE HE FEARED HE WAS BEG KIDNAPPED.) IN A 2010 VTIGATN OF NTRACT FIXG FOR NSTCTN PROJECTS, ITALIAN POLICE WIRETAPS HAPPENED TO TCH A PAPAL HER AND GENTLEMAN OF HIS HOLS, ANGELO BALDUCCI, ALLEGEDLY HIRG MALE PROSTUT, SOME OF WHOM MAY HAVE BEEN SEMARIANS, THROUGH A NIGERIAN MEMBER OF A VATIN CHOIR. (THE CHOIR MEMBER WAS DISMISSED; BALDUCCI WAS NVICTED ON RPTN CHARG.)POPE BENEDICT WAS MORED TO HAVE ORRED THAT PRELAT WHO WERE LIVG DOUBLE LIV BE RETIRED OR REMOVED OM ROME. MAR POLI SPECULAT THAT PERHAPS AS MANY AS 30 WERE EASED OUT. THE MOST SENR PRELATE TO LOSE HIS JOB WAS CARDAL KEH O’BRIEN, THE ARCHBISHOP OF ST. ANDREWS AND EDBURGH. A STNCH OPPONENT OF GAY MARRIAGE WHO HAD PUBLICLY LLED HOMOSEXUALY A “MORAL GRADATN,” O’BRIEN WAS BROUGHT DOWN FEBARY BY THREE PRITS AND ONE EX-PRIT WHO ACCED HIM OF “APPROPRIATE NTACT” AND PREDATORY BEHAVR WHEN HE WAS THEIR BISHOP. THE EPISOS REUNTED BY THE FOUR MEN VOLVED SUCH NSISTENT PATTERNS OVER MORE THAN 30 YEARS THAT SOME OF O’BRIEN’S LLEAGU SURELY MT HAVE HAD THEIR SPICNS. WHEN I ASKED ONE ARCHBISHOP IF HE HAD KNOWN THAT O’BRIEN WAS GAY, HOWEVER, THE ARCHBISHOP SAID HE HAD NOT. WHEN I ASKED THE ARCHBISHOP WHO AMONG THE OTHER RDALS WERE O’BRIEN’S CLOST IENDS, HE LDLY ANSWERED, “I DON’T THK HE HAD ANY.” EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, ED.EVEN BENEDICT HAS BEEN DOGGED BY MORS THAT HE IS GAY. THOUGH NO SOLID EVINCE HAS EVER EMERGED, IS TREATED AS MON KNOWLEDGE BY MANY ROME, WHO CE STEREOTYP GALORE, CLUDG HIS FSY FASHN SENSE (HIS BY-RED SLIPPERS, HIS “VALENTO RED” P); HIS CSA TO NAIL DOWN WHY “HOMOSEXUAL ACTNS” ARE “TRSILLY DISORRED” (MANY CLOSETED GAY MEN, OM ROY COHN TO CARDAL O’BRIEN, HAVE MA THE MOST EXTRAORDARY EFFORTS TO NMN HOMOSEXUALY); AND HIS BROMANCE WH ARCHBISHOP GE GäNSWE, HIS LONGTIME PERSONAL SECRETARY. (NICKNAMED BEL GRG, OR “GEO GEE,” THE GGED GäNSWE SKIS, PLAYS TENNIS, AND PILOTS AIRPLAN. HE SPIRED DONATELLA VERSACE’S WTER 2007 “CLERGYMAN LLECTN.”) PERHAPS THE MOST VIC OF BENEDICT’S NICKNAM IS “LA MALETTA.” THE WORD MEANS “CURSED” ITALIAN, BUT THE PUN RIV OM THE FACT THAT THE TERM MEANS THE EXACT OPPOSE OF BENEDICT’S OWN NAME ITALIAN, BENETTO, WHICH MEANS “BLSED”—WH A GENR CHANGE ACHIEVED THE PROCS.NEHER BENEDICT NOR GäNSWE HAS PUBLICLY RPOND TO ANY OF THIS. THE CHATTER’S MA NSEQUENCE HAS BEEN NOT TO HURT THEM PERSONALLY (THOUGH SURELY MT, AT LEAST A LTLE) BUT TO HELP LOCK DOWN GENUE NVERSATN ABOUT THE EVERYDAY LIV OF GAY PRITS, WHETHER CELIBATE OR NOT. IT IS MORE OR LS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GAY CLERICS TO ARTICULATE THEIR AFFECTNS ANY WAY THAT DO NOT AMOUNT TO WHAT AN ANGLO-SAXON MD MIGHT SEE AS HYPOCRISY. YET SUCH A DUALISTIC EXISTENCE IS VERY MUCH A PART OF CHURCH TRADN. “THIS IS ALMOST AN ASPECT OF THE CATHOLIC RELIGN SELF,” COLM TóIBíN HAS WRTEN AN SAY ON GAYS AND CATHOLICISM, “THIS BS OF KNOWG AND NOT KNOWG SOMETHG ALL AT THE SAME TIME, KEEPG AN ILLN SEPARATE OM THE TTH.” IT IS ALSO TYPIL OF ITALIAN SEXUALY GENERAL, AND ITALIAN HOMOSEXUALY PARTICULAR. THIS IS THE UNTRY THAT TOLERATED THE SEXUAL PAS AND SERIAL DS OF FORMER PRIME MISTER SILV BERLNI WH SRCELY A HT OF PROTT OM THE HIERARCHY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THIS IS THE UNTRY WHERE UNTLS MARRIED WOMEN IGNORE THEIR HBANDS’ DALLIANC WH MEN.LA BELLA FIGURATHE CULTURE OF CEPTN OPERAT ACRDG TO SIGNALS AND NVENTNS BY WHICH GAY CLERICS NAVIGATE THEIR LIV. CAMP IS PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL AND PERVASIVE OF THE S, THOUGH N BE DIFFICULT TO FE. IRONIC, EFFEMATE SELF-MOCKERY—ALLOWG PRITS TO EXERCISE SOME LIMED REBELLN AGAST THEIR OWN ISOLATN AND VISIBILY—IS ONE FORM OF CLERIL MP. FOR FEAR OF LGHG OUT LOUD, PRITS SOMETIM TRY TO AVOID MAKG EYE NTACT WH ONE ANOTHER CHURCH WHEN HYMNS WH TL LIKE “HAIL, HOLY QUEEN” ARE SUNG. AFTER BERGOGL BEME POPE FRANCIS, YOUTUBE CLIPS OF A SEQUENCE OM FELLI’S ROMA WENT VIRAL AMONG GAY PRITS ROME. IT SHOWS A PLA-LOOKG RDAL WATCHG A NWAY SHOW OF OVER-THE-TOP CLERIL ATTIRE—WHICH ENDS WHEN THE PARTED POPE STEALS THE SHOW BY APPEARG THE GLOR GARB OF A SUN GOD.ONE GAY FORMER PRIT, WHO STILL LIV ROME, SCRIB CLERIL MP AS “A NATURAL WAY OF EXPRSG [GAY INTY] WHILE CELIBATE.” SOCIALLY, HE SAYS, IS “A KEY THAT UNLOCKS A FURTHER ELEMENT OF TST.” THERE’S NOTHG EARTH-SHATTERG ABOUT THIS—’S WHAT EVERY STUTN DO—BUT “THE CHURCH HAS A LOT MORE EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICE AT PROTECTG SELF. AS FAR AS THAT GO,” HE SAYS, WH A NOD TO COLE PORTER, “THEY’RE THE TOPS.”WHEN THIS FORMER PRIT BEGAN HIS TN ROME, A PROFSOR TOLD HIM, “THERE SHOULDN’T BE A SUBCULTURE. WE ARE ALL MALE HERE, SO ’S APPROPRIATE TO SAY ‘HER’ OR TO REFER TO OTHER MEN WH FEME PRONOUNS.” THE FORMER PRIT SAYS THAT “NONE OF THIS STCTN WAS ABOUT OUR BEHAVR. IT WAS ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD APPEAR.” HE BELIEV THAT SUCH STCTN ILLTRAT A LTLE-NOTED CHANGE OFFICIAL THKG ABOUT CATHOLIC INTY, AND WHAT SHOULD BE AT S CENTER. “THE SYMBOLS OF THE CHURCH SHOULD BE THE SACRAMENTS,” SUCH AS THE EUCHARIST, HE ARGU, BUT OVER TIME THE PEOPLE WHO ADMISTER THE SACRAMENTS HAVE E TO DISPLACE THEM PROMENCE. IN OTHER WORDS, “THE PRITS BEE THE SYMBOLS” THAT ARE EMED MOST IMPORTANT. WHICH TURN PUTS A PREMIUM ON OUTWARD APPEARANCE AND ENFORC NFORMY TO A CERTA OFFICIAL IAL. THE CHURCH, THEREFORE, IS CREASGLY PREOCCUPIED WH MAKG SURE S LEARS ARE GROOMED OM AMONG “BOYS WHO LOOK HOLY: PLAYG DRS-UP AT THE AMERIN COLLEGE AND GOG DOWN TO PIAZZA NAVONA AT NE P.M. TO SAY THEIR BREVIARI.” SACRAMENTS AND LURGY, THE FORMER PRIT SAYS, ARE “THE KERNEL OF WHAT MAK THE CHURCH IMPORTANT. THIS IS WHAT MAK POWERFUL. NOT THE PROTECTN OF MEDIEVAL STUTNS.”YET THE CHURCH, AS ITALIAN SOCIETY, ’S OFTEN THE SE THAT RIGHT APPEARANCE—LA BELLA FIGURA—IS ALL. IN EVERY TAIL, PARTI CELEBRATG APPOTMENT TO THE VATIN AND OTHER HIGH CHURCH OFFIC N BE LAVISH—“LIKE A POSH GIRL’S WEDDG”—WH MANY CLERICS ATTENDANCE BEG “GAY MEN WEARG EVERYTHG HANDMA, PERFECT, QUEER AS ,” OBSERV ONE PROMENT FIGURE THE ROMAN ART WORLD. BUT LA BELLA FIGURA MATTERS JT AS MUCH AT ORDARY MOMENTS. ESPECIALLY FOR CLERICS WHO BREAK THE VOW OF CELIBACY, IS CCIAL TO KEEP UP APPEARANC THE NORMAL URSE OF LIFE.GAY SNAS ARE GOOD PLAC TO MEET OTHER GAY PRITS AND MONKS. THE BT TIM TO FD CLERICS AT THE SNAS ARE LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENG ON THURSDAYS (WHEN PONTIFIL UNIVERSI HAVE NO CLASS) OR SUNDAYS (AFTER MASS). SOME GAY CELIBATE CLERICS E THE SNAS NOT FOR SEX BUT TO EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF FELLOWSHIP WH OTHERS LIKE THEMSELV. ONE LLS HIS SNA VISS “SOMETHG TO NFIRM MYSELF AS I AM.” (ROME HAS FEW GAY BARS, AND JOHN MOSS, THE AMERIN OWNER OF THE LARGT AND OLST ONE, THE HANGAR, SAYS THAT THE RISE OF INTER CISG, BED WH THE VATIN’S CRACKDOWN ON GAY PRITS, HAS CIMATED HIS GAY CLERIL CLIENTELE. “THERE ED TO BE SO MANY SEMARIANS—SUCH BETIFUL MEN—WHO ME TO THE BAR, AND WE WOULD EVEN GET HIRED TO TAKE PARTI TO THEM SOME OF THE RELIG HO. NOW THERE’S NOBODY.”)ONCE YOU MAKE A NNECTN, ’S POSSIBLE TO E YOUR MONASTERY CELL FOR SEXUAL ASSIGNATNS, AS LONG AS YOU DON’T MAKE MUCH NOISE. “YOU N SNEAK PEOPLE , NO PROBLEM,” ONE GAY MONK SAYS, “BUT TRY TO AVOID NSISTENT PATTERNS OF MOVEMENT.” IN OTHER WORDS, DON’T VE A GUY OVER ON THE SAME DAY OF THE WEEK, OR AT THE SAME TIME OF DAY, VERY OFTEN. THAT SAID, “NO ONE HAS SEX” WH OTHER RINTS OF HIS OWN MONASTERY, A FORMER MONK TOLD ME, “BEE IS LIKE A BIG BROTHER HOE. EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYTHG.”THE MORE SENR THE CLERIC, THE MORE LIKELY HE MAY BE TO PLAY LOOSE WH THE L. ONE LEADG VATIN REPORTER (WHO SAYS THAT, AMONG JOURNALISTS ON THE BEAT, THE TWO MOST MON TOPICS FOR GOSSIP ABOUT CHURCH OFFICIALS ARE “WHO’S GAY AND WHO’S ON THE TAKE”) SCRIB THE LOGIC OF SUCH BEHAVR. “EVERYTHG IS PERMTED BEE YOU ARE A PRCE OF THE URT,” HE SAYS. “IF YOU ARE TLY LOYAL AND ENTSTED WH THE HIGHT LEVEL OF RPONSIBILY, THERE HAS TO BE AN EXTRA LIBERTY ATTACHED ORR TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF.”VOWS OF CELIBACY DON’T SAY ANYTHG ABOUT EYE NDY. SOME CURIA OFFICIALS ARE SAID TO HANDPICK EXTREMELY HANDSOME MEN FOR MENIAL JOBS ORR TO MAKE VATIN CY MORE SCENIC. A LAYMAN I KNOW WHOSE JOB REQUIR EQUENT TRIPS TO THE VATIN ED TO ENJOY FLIRTG WH A MCULAR GO-GO BOY WHO DANCED ON THE BAR AT A GAY NIGHTCLUB ROME. ONE DAY AT THE VATIN, THIS LAYMAN WAS AMAZED TO SEE THE DANCER OUT OF NTEXT, DRSED THE UNIFORM OF A SECURY GUARD. WHEN HE MA TO GREET THE MAN, THE GUARD SIGNALED HIM TO STAY BACK, RAISG A FGER TO HIS LIPS A QUIET “SHHHHH … ”WHERE SILENCE N’T STRICTLY BE KEPT, WORD GAM N PARTMENTALIZE THE TTH. IN THE VATIN OFFICE OF A MONSIGNOR WHO I’D BEEN TOLD MIGHT HAVE SOME FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE NCERNG RECENT GAY SNDALS THE CHURCH, I ASKED, POT-BLANK, “ARE YOU GAY?,” AND HE SERENELY ANSWERED, “NO.” I REPLIED, “I WONR, IF A PRIT IS HOMOSEXUAL—BUT DO NOT PARTICIPATE MASTREAM SECULAR GAY CULTURE—ULD HE SAY THAT HE IS NOT ‘GAY’ AND STILL THK HE’S TELLG THE TTH?” “WHAT AN TERTG QUTN,” THE MONSIGNOR SAID, IMMEDIATELY STANDG UP AND GTURG ME TO THE DOOR. “I’M AAID I DON’T HAVE ANY MORE TIME TO TALK.” HE SISTED ON PERSONALLY WALKG ME OUT OF THE BUILDG, AND AS WE PASSED ALONG A GRAND HALLWAY I REMARKED UPON S BETY. “I DON’T SEE ,” HE REPLIED ARCHLY. “TO ME, OTHER HALLWAYS ARE ‘BETIFUL.’ ” WAS THIS AN NOCENT REMARK, OR A D ANSWER TO MY QUTN? SOMETIM TALKG TO GAY PRITS FEELS LIKE READG STORI BY B.FOR THOSE WHO WANT , ANIZED WORKS N PROVI SOME GROUNDG. A FEW SMALL GROUPS OF GAY CATHOLICS ROME OPERATE PUBLICLY, BUT BEE ANYONE N E TO THEIR MEETGS, N BE RISKY FOR PRITS, PECIALLY VATIN OFFICIALS, TO BE PART OF THEM. ONE PRIVATE GROUP OF ABOUT 50 GAY PRITS AND LAYMEN MEETS ONCE A YEAR, FOR A KD OF RETREAT. A VATIN PRIT I MET WH—HE ACTUALLY VED ME TO STOP BY HIS OFFICE NEAR ST. PETER’S BEE HE SAID HE WANTED “TO SHOW THAT THIS IS NO SECRET,” THOUGH ’S SECRET ENOUGH THAT HE N’T BE NAMED—IS VOLVED WH THIS GROUP, AS PART OF AN UNOFFICIAL MISTRY ADDN TO HIS OFFICIAL DUTI. HE SAYS THAT HIS SUPERRS, CLUDG AT LEAST ONE VERY PROMENT VATIN OFFICIAL, HAVE LONG KNOWN HE IS GAY, AND HAVE EVEN PROMOTED HIM SCE LEARNG THAT FACT.YET GAYS THE VATIN, LIKE SPI TELLIGENCE SERVIC, HAB BOX WH BOX. THE PRIT WHO HELPS WH THE GROUP OF 50 RAISED HIS EYEBROWS WHEN I REPEATED TO HIM SOMETHG AN ARCHBISHOP HAD TOLD ME. “I KNOW A PRIT WHO MISTERS TO PEOPLE THE CURIA THAT SUATN,” THE ARCHBISHOP SAID, THOUGH “HE IS NOT ASSIGNED OFFICIALLY.”MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGAN MARKLE H BEYONCE SHOW IN LABY EVE BATEYJENNA ORTEGA REILS AT JOHNNY DEPP DATG RUMORS BY EVE BATEYKYLE DCHANEL, THE ROTHSCHILD WHO WASN’TBY NATE FREEMAN“THAT IS NOT ME,” THE PRIT SAID, AMAZED. “I WONR WHO ULD BE.”DON’T ASK, DON’T TELLAS YOU WOULD EXPECT, THE PRIT I MET THE SNA LOOKS RATHER DIFFERENT WH VTMENTS ON. WHEN I WALKED TO CHURCH A FEW DAYS LATER, FOR SUNDAY-MORNG MASS, HE WAS THE CELEBRANT—EVEN THOUGH, WHEN WE MET, HE HAD SAID HE WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE TOWN. MAYBE HIS PLANS HAD CHANGED AGA.HE WAS PREACHG A HOY ON THE GOSPEL READG, THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARAN. THE PRIT TOLD THE NGREGATN THAT THIS STORY WAS A CHALLENGE. A CHALLENGE TO ACCEPT “RISK FAVOR OF PASSN.” A CHALLENGE TO “LOOK MORE EPLY AT ‘WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?’ ” A CHALLENGE TO BE GENERO, UNLIKE “THE RELIG, SPIRUAL PERSON WHO DID NOTHG TO HELP.” LISTENG TO THE WORDS, I ULD NOT HELP BUT WONR: WHERE, THAT PARABLE, DO THIS PRIT SEE HIMSELF?FROM THE DAY AFTER THE NCLAVE END—WHEN FRANCIS WENT BACK TO HIS HOTEL AND PERSONALLY CHECKED OUT, PAID HIS BILL, AND PICKED UP HIS SUSE—THE NEW POPE HAS SURPRISED PEOPLE WH HIS ACTNS. DURG HOLY WEEK, HE WENT TO A JUVENILE PRISON AND WASHED THE FEET OF MAT, CLUDG TWO GIRLS AND TWO MLIMS. ONE MORNG, HE REPORTEDLY MA A SANDWICH FOR THE SWISS GUARD WHO HAD STOOD SENTEL OUTSI HIS ROOM ALL NIGHT. HE VED 200 HOMELS PEOPLE FOR DNER THE VATIN GARNS.FRANCIS HAS ALSO SAID SOME THGS THAT, OM A POPE’S MOUTH, SEEM EXTRAORDARY SIMPLY BEE THEY ARE SO DOWN TO EARTH—LIKE HIS CHOICE TO END ONE HOY WH THE UNTRADNAL EXHORTATN “HAVE A GOOD LUNCH!” YET THE FIRST TIME THIS POPE’S WORDS, RATHER THAN HIS ACTNS, MA SIGNIFINT HEADL WAS NNECTN WH HIS MENTS ABOUT THE “GAY LOBBY.”AS NOTED, THE PHRASE FIRST GAED CURRENCY BEFORE FRANCIS ME ON THE SCENE, BUT RETURNED TO PUBLIC DISCSN JT AS HE GOT SER ABOUT WHAT MAY BE A HALLMARK OF HIS PAPACY: A CLEANUP OF VATIN RPTN. THE SPE OF HIS NCERN ABOUT ABE OF POWER SEEMS TOTAL. HE IS REFORMG EVERYTHG OM THE VATIN BANK’S BOOKKEEPG TO THE NTENTS OF THE PAPAL WARDROBE.FOR A LONG TIME, GAY PRITS HAVE MA FOR NVENIENT SPEGOATS AND HANDY PAWNS CHURCH POWER GAM. ALL OF THEM, WHETHER ACTIVELY OR PASSIVELY, HAVE HELPED CREATE THE ROL FOR THEMSELV, AND THEY N HARDLY IMAGE A DIFFERENT REALY—UNLS THEY WERE TO EMERGE OM THE CLOSET AND GET THROWN OUT OF THE PRITHOOD. ONE MONK TOLD ME, “A LOT OF WILL NOT NMN. BUT NOT SPEAK OUT. WE’RE A SYSTEM THAT NTROLS . THE LONGER YOU’RE , THE MORE NTROLS, THE MORE YOU ASSUME THE CLERIL POSN.” THEY KEEP HOPE SMALL, OR SNUFF ENTIRELY. THEY BELIEVE THAT NOTHG AND NO ONE ULD MAKE THE CHURCH SAFE FOR THEM. MIGHT THIS CHANGE? “NOT MY LIFETIME,” THEY ALL SAY.YET, BEFORE HE BEME FRANCIS, JE BERGOGL WAS A JU. AS *NATNAL CATHOLIC REPORTER’*S JOHN ALLEN, THE AN OF THE AMERIN VATIN-WATCHERS, TOLD ME, “THERE’S A KD OF CATHOLIC VERSN OF ‘DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL’ THAT THE JUS WOULD BE PARTICULARLY NOTED FOR. THERE ARE GUYS THE JU WORLD THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ARE GAY, BUT THEY DON’T GO AROUND MAKG A BIG AL OUT OF .” WHILE POPE BENEDICT’S VATIN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE SURE GAYS KNEW THEY WERE UNWELE THE PRITHOOD, THE JUS VELOPED A REPUTATN FOR TOLERATG AND EVEN PROTECTG THEIR GAY BRETHREN.IN THE LLEGIAL JU SPIR, FRANCIS APPOTED EIGHT RDALS TO SERVE AS HIS RE ADVISERS ON SIGNIFINT ISSU, AND THE G YEARS, THIS GROUP MAY HAVE AS MUCH FLUENCE ON THE SUATN OF GAYS THE PRITHOOD AS FRANCIS HIMSELF. WHEN I ASKED AN ARCHBISHOP HOW HE THKS THE RDALS’ NVERSATN ABOUT THEIR GAY BROTHERS WILL GO, HE ANSWERED WH REFERENCE NOT TO THE HOLY SPIR BUT TO THE GOD OF FORTUNE. “RIGHT NOW THE SURT THG I N SAY IS THAT THERE’S CHANGE THE AIR,” HE SAID. “IF YOU ULD SAY WHAT WILL HAPPEN, YOU ULD SAY WHO’D W THE LOTTERY.”THE NEXT TIME I HEARD MENTN OF A LOTTERY WAS A FEW DAYS LATER, AT DNER WH A GAY MONK WHO TOLD ME THAT HE HAD RECENTLY FALLEN LOVE FOR THE FIRST TIME, WH A MAN. “AM I A CLERIL HYPOCRE? I GUS ONE WAY I AM,” HE SAID, THE MIDDLE OF A LONG AND EMOTNAL NARRATIVE, BEFORE BRGG THE NVERSATN TO BEDROCK REALY. “BUT I’M OVER 60. I HAVE NOTHG FANCIALLY. I N’T LEAVE.” AND THEN HE SAID, “IF I WON THE POWERBALL LOTTO, I WOULD LEAVE.”NOTE: AN ALTERATN WAS MA THE PASSAGE ABOUT MAR POLI’S LA CONFSNE, REPUBLISHED AS IO, PRETE GAY, ORR TO GIVE A MORE ACCURATE SCRIPTN OF THE BOOK.MICHAEL JOSEPH GROSS

I was out walkg and wanted a ld drk wh a hot man and nothg was open for gay people to hang out wh other gay people. Wh s many gay clubs, diss, B&B’s and beach, the cy offers a wi choice to anyone wantg to make the most of their holiday. For travelers lookg to have fun one of Rome’s most betiful districts near the Colossm, Via San Gvanni Laterano, the so-lled Gay Street, is a mt: gay-iendly bars, clubs and rtrants all make for a social eveng.

REPORT: VATIN OWNS BUILDG THAT HO RDALS AND EUROPE’S BIGGT GAY BATHHOE

Not to be missed is the Gay Village, one of the most important events hosted by the cy every summer, which attracts thoands of people. Another mt-do event is the Gay Pri Para, which ually tak place June and clus a march wh tens of thoands of people attendg.

“If you love someone take them to Verona” is the Valente’s Day slogan for the cy of Romeo and Juliet, one of Italy’s most gay-iendly ci. Take a stroll to Piazza Bra to admire the Roman Amphheatre and on to the monumental San Zeno Altarpiece by Andrea Mantegna ntug to Porta Nuova, the historic center wh the elegant Lucla Cafe, a gay-iendly hang out and the perfect place for an aperif.

EXPLORG GAY ROME – THE NOMADIC BOYS

The historil gay hangout Catania cy center is Via Alsi, around Nievki: a bar and an alternative rtrant which has been welg to LGBT people sce the ‘70s. For over twenty years between late June and early July, the cy is flood by the lors of the rabow flag wh a seri of iativ crowng the tradnal Catania Gay Pri Para. Taorma is one of the most gay-iendly statns on Sicily, an ial statn year round, thanks to the d climate and the foc on fun, relaxatn and joie vivre as well as the warm hospaly of the Sicilian people.

Company ROMAPiazza Manedo Fanti 40, Rome, ItalyToday: Furry Friday - Every FridayTomorrow: Furry Friday - Every FridayLate-night, basement gay cise club Rome. While gay life Rome has bee much more open and prevalent recent time, the cy’s gay district is still relatively small.